…Says State Has Not Increased Tax In 10 Years

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has identified the need for residents to adopt a willful approach to the payment of taxes as a means of addressing fundamental challenges confronting the State and accelerating development in all sectors and sections.

Speaking at a sensitization workshop on 2017 Water Technology and Environmental Control Exhibition and Conference (WATEC) held at Ikeja, Governor Ambode said out of a population of 22million, only 600,000 Lagos residents are up to date in paying their taxes, and that such was not helpful to scale up provision of infrastructure and other amenities for the people.

Responding to a suggestion from one of the participants at the workshop that the State Government should complete the ongoing shoreline protection particularly in the Lekki and Ajah axis as one of the ways to mitigate the impact of torrential rainfalls which caused flooding in the axis last week, Governor Ambode said in as much as government was willing to do such, it was being inhibited by its limited resources.

He said: “Talking about protecting our shoreline, I want to tell you something. The ecological fund that someone talked about does not exist because the previous government, due to political consideration, never gave Lagos anything and protecting the shoreline runs into billions.

“Even doing those groins not to allow the water to break cost a lot of money and then with frozen taxes in the last eight to ten years, there has not been any increase in taxes unlike in the United Kingdom for instance where any young person living there knows that once you start working at the age of 18, your civic obligation is that you must pay tax but here nobody takes it as their business that the new road I am using I need to pay something and so they only pay tax when they are inside the real tax net that is you are paying pay as you earn.

“That is the only way we can catch you and so everybody takes it for granted that government will do it and there is nothing like government money, it is taxes that people are paying that you are asking for this shoreline protection, it is from the taxes that you are asking for us to de-flood, it is from the taxes that you are asking for us to do the roads and all that.

“The number of people paying taxes in Lagos is less than 600,000 people and we are 22million and then 67 percent of the people living in Lagos are below the age of 35 and even the retirees, how much are they paying? They are on pension. So, you have to go through your nose and you want to be as compassionate as possible that in a recession, you don’t overtax people.”

The Governor said it was time for a convergence between civic obligations and the ability of government to build trust by using taxes of citizens judiciously, just assured that his administration, within the available resources, would continue to invest in infrastructure and deliver good governance to make life comfortable and easier for the people.

“What I am saying is that there must be a convergence between civic obligations and the ability of government to build trust and be able to tell people that you know what, the little that you are giving me, I will use it judiciously. When I use it judiciously and you see it overtime, trust me, if you pay more, I will do more.

“Obviously, the vision is there, the plan is there but again it is not driven by anything than the citizens themselves and the area that we need improvement is for citizens to have trust or confidence that the taxes they are paying will be returned back in terms of infrastructure but I can tell you that I am also concerned; I see a lot of things I don’t like but I am inhibited by the amount of money I have,” Governor Ambode said.

http://www.lasgidionline.com.ng/2017/07/lasg-only-600000-lagos-residents-pay.html

lalasticlala

Pretty sure developers are tax evaders.

Stupid stat, do they expect everyone including infants, school children and the unemployed who are part of the 22M to pay taxes too?

They should let us know the number of taxable individuals first and stop frustrating new startup in SME.

At least the taxable ones will be in the region of 10 mill and only 600k pay. It is unfair.

When LIRS is cutting deals with people left and right?

When Local Government Task force is imposing levies on people left and right?

Can't really blame Local Governments in Lagos after all no be dere Tinubu &
Fashola sell Ikoyi/Obalende Secretariat Land for Kingsway road? Dem don begin dey build tower for dia sef

Google Earth image of site as LG Secretariat
Current image as Tower

LionDeLeo:
Pretty sure developers are tax evaders.

nah you go first start.
If they come for you and your tribes men now you'll remember how yourbas have always loved igbos

raker300:
nah you go first start.
If they come for you and your tribes men now you'll remember how yourbas have always loved igbos

Never said yoruba love ibo, stop quoting me out of context.

Besides, which coming for me and my tribe are you talking about other than what some Ugandan reprobates have already infested the cyberspace with.

Now are they saying it's the citizens fault?
Do you have a comprehensive and reliable database system for all in the state? Do you know how many are working and how many are not? Do you know their income?
Until then, you guys should just get out of sight and do the needful before unnecessary complaints
Nansense!

@ dolphinife ODVanguard




Fastest way to destroy an economy is to stress so much on personal income tax.


The more tax people pay,

the less money they have to spend.

The less money they spend,

the slower the economy grows and expands


Focus more on encouraging the people to go into businesses and investments and then tax those assets mildly.

Lmao....and some mofos from their region will tell you they pay their tax in lagos....

They are fond of not paying tax, disobeying the laws of the land, and yet, desecrate and condemn any developmental project in the state they reside


May thunder fall on anybody staying in lagos who doesn't pay tax

And how many of this 600 000 have access to potable water from water board? Absolutely none

Because Lagos State employed the 22m or they gave them the money and proper infrastructure to start-up... Shey

No offence but I think Lagos state should shut up with this their tax tax talk.

To be honest there's too much noise about this Lagos government( No doubt Ambode is working) but 3 innocent people had to die and countless others before the working government of Lagos state started to do something about it ...would it have been the same story if it was lekki ?

That's because only 600000 people manage to make profits while the rest are still struggling due to so many factors too numerous to highlight.

Stupid
People try to Live within their income so they can afford to pay taxes to a government that can't live within its income

Why na Lagosians?

LionDeLeo:
Pretty sure developers are tax evaders.

developers as in Ipob abi

You don dey purge dis morning

Stop eating iya wero beans you no go hear

Small thing AfonjAs go bring tribalism

And how many people did the govt help?

Millions of workers in Lagos have tax deducted from their monthly pay, IRS better confess.

Did they factor in the fact that 2/3 of the population are kids?

Of that, 3/4 of the remaining 1/3 are unemployed or under employed.

Where will tax come from?

Personally, I'll only pay income tax to a failed government if there's a gun to my head.

Lol

we can't run away from paying tax
it helps d govt in achieveing its goals
and we can demand for accountability

it's normal in developed countries
naija is not an exception

OKAY

dolphinife:
Lmao....and some mofos from their region will tell you they pay their tax in lagos....

They are fond of not paying tax, disobeying the laws of the land, and yet, desecrate and condemn any developmental project in the state they reside


May thunder fall on anybody staying in lagos who doesn't pay tax

Those empty chestbeaters are confam tax evaders. Paye taxes account for the bulk of Lagos IGR, and we all know most of them are traders in the informal sector and don't remit paye.

which useless tax
no good roads, electricity or security

That's all

Flat head are allergic to tax .. They will never pay back bank loans and will be boasting with empty chest they develop Lagos thier father land


Awon olori pebble

---

pelebe

9ja for life


i love those funny pix sha