Chairman, Taskforce on Internally Generated Revenue, Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Hon. John Osagie Inegbedion, has tackled pressing tax questions, assuring of Edo State government’s commitment to handle the menace of double taxation to encourage optimal business growth and efficient service delivery.
He gave the assurance at the International Youth Day seminar put together by the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Edo State Chapter, which collaborated with EIRS to sensitize youths about tax and the need to pay taxes to government.
The seminar, which held at the Youth House on August 10, 2023, was interactive and enabled youths to have a face-to-face communication with the tax chief who doubled as the representative of government at the forum. They collectively channelled innate raw energies to seek answers to nagging questions during the robust and mentally stimulating question and answer segment.
“As citizens of Edo State, I encourage us to collaborate more, get involved in the affairs of our collective developmental processes by paying our taxes as a way of executing our individual and collective responsibility,” said the EIRS Chief, who presented a paper on “Taxation: A Civic Responsibility”.
“It is only when we do this, we can then appreciate the government for effectively utilizing taxpayers’ fund as evident in Edo State under the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration and in same vein hold government accountable for not fulfilling promises made,” he said.
He encouraged participants to click on the “edogov website” to be brought up to speed with government expenditure based on collected taxes to enable them see the budget performance, projects and contracts awarded. Nonetheless, he encouraged those seeking further clarification to get across to him.
Inegbedion promised to pass raised observations of participants drawn from labour, trade unions, market organizations, faith-based, youth organizations, undergraduates and even a body of cab drivers across to the state government.
Participants at this seminar unanimously supported a raised motion for subsidized costs for use of government hospitals to ease the financial burden on the masses.
Curiously, participants showed willingness to pay tax but frowned at harassment involved in collecting tax mostly at the local government level. They lamented about double taxation, seeking clarification on taxes, levies and stickers as well as government-approved means of identifying fake collectors.
Highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of a “gold medal” and “award plaque” to Hon. Inegbedion by leaders of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, assisted by its state chairman, Comrade Moses Agwinede Joseph. The award was dedicated to EIRS and youths of Edo State.
