Governorship debate: Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu promise to overhaul tax system in Edo

Governor Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have promised to review the tax mechanism in Edo State to capture more indigenes and private sector if elected as governor in the gubernatorial election coming up in Edo State on Saturday, September 19, 2020.

Speaking on Channels Television governorship debate Sunday night, they  agreed that there was the need for a review of the system.

Ize-Iyamu promised to engage in aggressive tax reform that would capture those who were presently not paying tax, but however added that his administration would be considerate and would not tax companies which were not making profit so as not to make  them go out of business.

“We need to review the tax mechanism in the state; so many people who are supposed to be in the tax net are not presently,  but because we are looking for money does not mean we should over-tax the companies but that is where public  private partnership comes in”, Ize-Iyamu said.

Governor Obaseki, however admitted that the system can do better, adding that his administration has been able to eliminate non-state actors in the collection of tax in the state.

“We hope to reform the tax system to make it easy for low income earners. We have said no to non-state actors collecting tax in Edo State. We will not allow tigers and lions to collect taxes in Edo,” Obasek said.