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Mbah signs bill harmonising revenue collection in Enugu into law

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Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State on Tuesday assented the bill harmonising and consolidating all revenue collection in the state through a one-stop shop.

The new law entitled “Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (Establishment and Consolidation of Revenue Administration) Law, 2025” is expected to end multiple taxation in Enugu.

It would also make the revenue collection agency autonomous and free of bureaucratic encumbrances.

Signing the bill into law at the Government House, Enugu, Mbah described it as a “milestone” in his administration’s quest to enable the ease of doing business and making Enugu the premier destination for investment.

He said his interaction with the business community, organised private sector, and the market women, saw them complaining of multiple taxation in the state.

“People coming from everywhere with different types of government receipts to ask them to pay tax. That will end from today.

“We now have one revenue collection point, whether for the market women, the organised private sector, and the different agencies of government.

“You will now have one clear point where to pay your tax and you will be issued with the appropriate receipt of payment,” Mbah said.

The governor added that the new law would effectively consolidate the revenues of the state and local governments, with each tier of government getting what was due to it such as charges and Value Added Tax (VAT).

“It is also important that we make this point very clear that this idea of the State Internal Revenue Service collecting on behalf of the other tiers of government is nothing new.

“As some of you already know, the Land Use Charge is paid to the local government, but collected by the state. So, what we are doing now is essentially consolidate all the other revenue types to ensure that there is one point of collection,” he explained.

He further explained that the Enugu State Inland Revenue Service would henceforth become autonomous.

“It means that they can now set targets and try to meet those targets the same way you run a business. It also means that they now have the powers to hire and fire their employees,” he said.

He disclosed that contrary to some misinformation, the massive rise in the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), was inspired by widening the tax net, plugging revenue leakages, and deployment of technology, rather than increasing tax rate.

He commended the Enugu State House of Assembly for their support every step of the way, noting with gratitude the expeditiousness with which they treated executive bills.

In a remark, the Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr Uchenna Ugwu, described the bill as a turning point in revenue collection in the state.

“One, it is going to improve the ease of doing business. It is also going to improve the IGR of the state and also block all the loopholes in revenue collection and administration.

“It is a very good gift to the people of Enugu State,” he said.

Alex Enebeli

NEWSVERGE, published by The Verge Communications is an online community of international news portal and social advocates dedicated to bringing you commentaries, features, news reports from a Nigerian-African perspective. A unique organization, founded in the spirit of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, comprising of ordinary people with an overriding commitment to seeking the truth and publishing it without fear or favour. The Verge Communications is fully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a corporate organization.

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