The Social and Integral Development Centre (SIDEC), host of Tax Justice and Governance Platform in Anambra State, has appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to pay greater attention to the needs of markets across the state, from where government generates substantial amount of its monthly Internally Generated Revenue, (IGR).
SIDEC Executive Director, Ugochi Agalaba-Ehiahuruike, who made the appeal during advocacy visit to the Commissioner for Industry, Christian Udechukwu, acknowledged the giant strides the state government has recorded in almost three years, but stressed the need to justify revenue collections from all the markets in the state, which she noted would automatically lead to voluntary payment of taxes and levies.
Tax for service project is implemented in Anambra State in conjunction with the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) with funding support from Oxfam Nigeria.
According to her, “Anambra has the potential to generate much more than it is generating currently from the markets. Apart from illegal diversion, we found that many traders are not happy about lack of social amenities within the markets”.
About the Tax for Service project, Ehiahuruike explained, “The Tax for Service Project is a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening tax compliance by fostering a direct link between taxation and service delivery. Many taxpayers still perceive tax payment as a burden due to the lack of visible public services and infrastructure development.
“In this project, SIDEC, host of Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJ&GP), seeks to engage relevant stakeholders like you towards ensuring that tax revenues translate into tangible community and markets benefits.
“This visit is to strengthen government commitment to improved tax transparency accountability and service delivery, as well as to share research findings with you and submit the needs of the major markets with you.
“It is also to engage policymakers on the importance of reinvesting tax revenues into social services. present budget analysis of 2021 to 2025 in line with the needs from the markets and to advocate for inclusive policies that ensure that tax collection aligns with citizen and traders’ needs.
In a contribution, a member of Tax Justice and Governance Platform, Alfred Ajayi specifically spoke about the findings of the market needs assessment carried out in 21 major markets across the three senatorial districts of the state.
“Many of the markets are in dire need of intra-market roads. Some of them asked for provision of fire trucks, CCTV cameras, toilet facilities among others. On this project, we are of the view that when their needs are addressed by government, traders will proactively increase their tax compliance.
“Enforcement works, but judicious utilization of the tax money especially in the markets has magical impact. It will boost the revenue for the state and local governments.
Responding, the Commissioner for Industry, Christian Udechukwu, while appreciating the intervention by TJ&GP, recounted the strides of the current administration in the areas of physical infrastructure, health care, education among other sectors.
“I see that you have a health and safety assessment of 21 major markets in Anambra to ensure that the health and safety concerns of the traders and operators in those markets are fully addressed.
“The budget allocation to the Ministry of Industry as you quoted does not speak to the entire commitment of the government to industrial development. You cannot propose to drive industrial development with such budget. Some of the components of the budget are warehoused in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, which is expected to deliver on the industrial infrastructure to drive the industrial revolution in the state.
“Everything that we plan to do, as far as industrialization in Anambra is concerned, involves a tripartite partnership between the public sector, the private – entrepreneurs, manufacturers, banks, multilateral financial institutions, development finance institutions, etc which partner with the state to augment the funds to enable us to achieve our goals and the communities providing the land for investment development.
“When we are done with that, most if not all of the needs of the markets you mentioned would have been addressed,” Udechukwu assured.
