At a time the nation is working to grow ease of doing business by way of reducing issues of multiple taxation and anti business development regulations and policies, the Kwara State House of Assembly is perfecting a new law tagged; ‘Manufacturing Processing Levy Bill, 2017’.
But to frustrate the move, over 100 members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Kwara and Kogi states chapter, as well as owners of other business concerns have lead serious protest match to the Kwara State House of Assembly complex to register their opposition.
They carried placards with inscriptions such as, ‘Companies are closing down in Kwara because of multiple taxes’, ‘We do not have jobs’, ‘Don’t kill industries in Kwara State’, ‘We stand against illegal taxes in Kwara’, ‘We say no to anti-industrial development’ and ‘Many states are looking for investors’.
In his presentation, spokesperson for the State branch of MAN, Mr. Bioku Rahman, explained that the members opposed the bill by the state government because manufacturing industries in the country were already distressed.
According to him, “any additional burden on the manufacturers would lead to the collapse of most of the industries in the state”.
“Manufacturers were already paying Company Income Tax, Education Tax, Petroleum Profit Tax, Value Added Tax, PAYE, Development Levy, land charges, Setback Tax, trade permit, business premises permit, signage levy, gaseous emission levy and tenement rate.
“We are also paying trade permit to local governments, NAFDAC levy, Standards Organisation of Nigeria levy, pension, fumigation tax, Federal Ministry of Mines and Powers levy, town planning development levy, Ministry of Environment and Forestry levy, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development levy, FRSC training levy, Industrial Training Fund levy, employees insurance levy/tax, Capital Gains Tax, parking permit, pre-occupation levy, debt security insurance levy and road taxes.
“Already we have few industries in Kwara State. Over the past 10 years, more than 60 per cent of the existing companies do no longer exist. If you introduce more taxes via this bill, there will be migration to other states.
“We have found out that there is no state in Nigeria that is running this levy. It is an additional burden on industries in Kwara State and we want to oppose it.”
In response, the Deputy Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Mr. Matthew Okedare, who presided over the public hearing, said it was to give all stakeholders opportunities to contribute so that the best decision for the interest of the state, industrialisation, and employment generation is taken.
