Unemployed, Clergy, Others Must Pay Tax In Imo, Says Ajumbe, Internal Resources Commissioner

AJUMBE

The Imo State government has announced tight fiscal policies geared towards improving the dwindling revenue of the State.

Internal Resources and Pension Matters Commissioner, Vitalis Ajumbe told newsmen in his office in Owerri yesterday that the State government will henceforth apply tough measures to increase its revenue which has continued to dwindle.

Part of the measures, according to the Commissioner, is to compel unemployed, idle persons to pay a tax of N2, 400.

 He said traditional rulers have been consulted and they have agreed to pay tax and drive the payment of Personal Income Tax in the communities and localities.

The Commissioner also said religious bodies that have business concerns, the clergy, and all taxable institutions and individuals will henceforth pay tax in Imo State.

 Ajumbe said “Religious bodies with business concerns will pay tax. Mallams, pastors will pay tax in Imo State.

“If you are idle you will pay tax. If you are unemployed you will pay tax.  It is legal. Paying tax is a civic responsibility.

“Our people are lazy. Look at how the yorubas have come here to make money through trado medicine. Foreigners, Togolese, Ghanaians have come here to do jobs and make money.  

He continued “Everybody in Imo State wants to be a civil servant. There are many ways one can make money legally.  This cannot continue/

“Imo State got a meager allocation of N1.9 billion naira in December 2015 as allocation. Who knows what it will be in January 2016.   

“With the falling price of crude oil, the allocation to the State will drop.  This is why anyone taxable must pay tax in Imo State.

“Is Ireland, Gambia selling oil, they are surviving through taxation” he said  

The Commissioner said the Board of Internal Revenue has been dissolved as part of measures to reposition the agency to make it more proactive in revenue collection.

He also stressed that he has put in place measures to block leakages by terminating all agreements entered with consultants on revenue collection and all forms of tax collection by individuals for the State.

Ajumbe said a task force will be constituted to enforce these measures, adding that his Ministry will relocate to the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Incensing offices at Okigwe road to monitor the inflow and outflow of cash in the agencies.

He also announced plans by his Ministry to build a Revenue House in the heart of the city, revealing that there will be inter ministerial redeployment and more revenue collection points will be created in various parts of the State.