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Of the 22m people in Lagos, only 600,000 have ‘Up to date’ tax payment

The Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, in a statement, has decried the increase in the number of tax defaulters and evaders in the State.

Mr. Ayorinde stated that of the 4.9 million taxable residents in the State, only 600,000 residents “are up to date in paying their taxes”.

He expressed displeasure over the development, adding that the situation was not beneficial for the provision of infrastructure and other amenities for the people.

The Commissioner disclosed the plan of the State Government to sanction all tax defaulters and evaders, in order “to ensure prompt payment of taxes and commence enforcement of payment by all tax defaulters with immediate effect.

“People are no longer fulfilling their civic obligation of paying their taxes and that the prevailing situation would adversely affect Government’s infrastructural renewal drive currently on-going across the State”.

Ayorinde pointed out that the Government remains committed to completing all on-going projects on schedule, with such projects largely dependent on prompt payment of taxes by residents of the State.

“The will and commitment of the Ambode administration is to ensure that all these projects are completed before 2019, but the possibility of achieving such will require taxable citizens of the state who have not been paying their taxes to start doing so”.

He lauded Lagos residents who have supported the State Government through payment of taxes saying ‘that is the oil that keeps the engine and wheels of government moving smoothly’.

“But when there are no resources, these laudable projects would be stalled. No government in the world can achieve its set out objectives without funds and these funds are available largely from what residents pay as taxes. It is therefore expedient that taxes should be paid correctly as at when due”.

In July 2017, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, had said the number of people up to date in the payment of taxes in Lagos is about 600,000, whereas the total population of the State is about 22 million.

Statistics from the Lagos Internal Revenue Service, however, shows that 4,902,386 persons paid tax in 2016.

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