The Rauf Aregbesola-led government in Osun State has directed all relevant agencies in the state to begin necessary processes and modalities for offsetting the arrears of the monthly stipend owed past and present members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who served (and are still serving) in Osun.
The government also directed tax collecting agencies in the state to use all means necessary to obtain cooperation of professional groups in paying their taxes and enforce all relevant laws on taxation.
The directive was contained in a statement issued and made available to journalists in Osogbo, by the Media Adviser to the Governor, Mr Sola Fasure recently in Osogbo after the state’s Executive Council Meeting during the week.
The Council frowned at the way and manner at which some professional groups in the state have not been cooperating with the state’s tax administrators, saying no effort would be spared in ensuring that taxable organisations and individuals are made to meet their civic responsibilities.
The Council called on the organisations and individuals doing business in Osun to begin to realise that taxation is the basis of government sustenance and that the State Government was fully determined to collect its revenue to the last kobo and bring the full weight of the law to bear on any defaulter.
According to the statement, “Council examined the report on outstanding allowance of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, past and present, posted to Osun, and directed that the processes and modalities for offsetting the arrears be started immediately.
“Council also received report that some professional groups in the state have not been co-operating with the state’s tax administrators. It condemned the act of non-payment of tax and urged the groups to cooperate with the tax agencies and obey the state’s tax laws forthwith.
“Council urged all organisations and individuals doing business in Osun to realise that taxation is the basis of government sustenance and the State Government of Osun is fully determined to collect its revenue to the last kobo and bring the full weight of the law to bear on any defaulter.
The state condemned in its entirety the un-hygienic culture among some residents in the state, saddened over the reports that some residents have been adamant and have continued to dump refuse on road medians in major cities in the state, in spite of government’s efforts at clearing them regularly.
Council held that if dumping of refuse at the median is not stopped, it is capable of reversing the gains made by government in ridding the state of filth.
According to the statement, “Council consequently directed law enforcement agencies, particularly the Civil Defence Corps, sanitary inspectors and members of community development associations in the state to apprehend these saboteurs and make them to face the full wrath of the law.
“The governor was commended by Council on his presentation of the 2018 budget to the State House of Assembly – for the people friendliness of the budget in conception and his detailed explanation of all the issues and ideas behind the facts and figures.
“The governor was also commended by council on how he handled the industrial action embarked upon by labour unions in the state, particularly for granting their demands satisfactorily and limiting work boycott by workers to four days”.
Packaged by Rahman Salami
