As part of strategies efforts to meet up with the 2014 internally generated revenue target of N62.49billion, the Delta state government on Friday has inaugurated a task force on ground rent collection.
BusinessDay reports that the government however charged the people of the state to pay their taxes promptly in order to sustain the improved economic growth in the state.
Ovuozorie Macaulay, the Secretary to the State Government who inaugurated the tax force in Asaba, the state capital said the state government was determined to eradicated poverty and sustain economic growth through infrastructural renewal and development.
Macaulay observed that the focus of the state in inaugurating the task force was to improve on the level of property tax compliance just as he charged members of the task force to genuinely collect the tax and remit all money collected to the state coffers.
According to him, l asks you to contribute your quota to support the government, this task imposes a responsibility of going out to collect this money genuinely and remit it to the coffers of the state government.
The state government who however charged the people of the state to pay their taxes voluntarily as at when due added that the revenue would have a multiplier effect on both the micro and macro economies of the state and boost individual prosperity.
“Since taxation is the principal source of government revenue, the prosperity of our state and our citizens depends greatly on the nature of revenue and the efficiency of collection”.
“Internally generated revenue was the bedrock upon which government would deliver on its electoral promises to the people and sustain its growing economy and appealed to Deltans to support the initiative,” he said.
The SSG posited that the state government’s tax policy was geared towards significantly improving the quality of life of its citizens without imposing excessive burden on them thereby creating a platform for promoting a healthier and more prosperous citizenry.
In an address of welcome, the commissioner for lands, survey and urban development, Patrick Ferife explained that the ground rents was a form of tax imposed on land users to generate revenue.
Ferife stressed that the rationale behind the payments was to buttress the recessionary interest and supervisory role of government over every land resource in the state.
He said that the ministry of lands and survey in collaboration with the State Board of Internal Revenue set up the task force with a mandate to collect and pay into government coffers all ground rents paid by landlords in the state.
He however disclosed that the ground rent payment would be due for collection every January 1stof every year adding that failure to pay within the period of 90 days would result to lawful and revocation of the Certificate of Occupancy of the said land by the State Governor.
The chairman of the taskforce, Frank Nwugo commended governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan for the opportunity given them to serve the state and promised that the committee would do its best to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
By: IDRIS UMAR MOMOH
