The opposition parties in Ekiti state have faulted the Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led administration for imposing arbitrary taxes on the residents of the state.
The opposition parties under the aegis of Coalition of United Political Parties in Ekiti State said that the imposition of arbitrary taxes on Ekiti people will lead to job losses, frustrations, and insecurity.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Chief Dare Adekolu, and Secretary, Hon. Fagboro Oluwole, the CUPP described the new tax regime as a “killer” and urged the state government to review it in the interest of the people.
The CUPP said that the state’s economy was already in dire straits, with many life-saver businesses struggling to stay afloat, saying the new tax regime would only exacerbate the situation.
The opposition parties also criticized the state government for not engaging with stakeholders before imposing the new tax, saying this was undemocratic and would only create more problems.
“The arbitrary tax system in Ekiti State has resulted in recurring protests by business owners across the state. This is unacceptable and we urge the state government to take immediate action to address the situation.
“It is of a truth that the Ekiti economy is in dire need of transition from a civil servant state to a productive economy where the private sector thrives. But, you don’t start this by stifling the life out of small businesses that are currently life savers to some families.
“Arbitrary taxation will not only kill our industries, lead to unemployment but will equally destroy the economy. As evident in the receipts issued to some of these business owners in recent times it has been a geometric tax increase right in the face of this current economic hardship”, it added.
The CUPP called on Governor Oyebanji’s administration to reduce the cost of governance and allocate more resources to infrastructural development, saying this would have a more positive impact on the state’s economy.
But, the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Taiwo Olatunbosun dismissed the claims of the opposition parties, describing them as noisemakers.
He accused the opposition parties of spreading false information to discredit and incite the people of Ekiti against the Oyebanji-led administration which has brought unprecedented development to the state.
Olatunbosun described the allegations as “baseless” and “politically motivated”, noting that the state government has not introduced new taxes, but rather blocked loopholes and leveraged technology to improve revenue collection.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
