Obiano suspends taxes for low income earners

Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, yesterday suspended taxes for low-income earners as a measure to cushion the effect of economic challenges.In a radio broadcast, he announced the measures to include: tax relief, special intervention programmes for small and medium enterprises, social intervention programme and intervention in infrastructure for jobs.

According to the governor, the economic stimulus package covers suspension of taxes on consolidated emblems, hawkers permit, wheelbarrow permit, school levies among others.

He said: “Following the formal announcement by the Federal Government that the nation’s economy has gone into a recession, I consider it my duty as your governor to distil the message of the economic situation of the country down to the grassroots.

“I am happy to announce to you that I have come up with a stimulus package that will ease the pain of the recession and help our dear state bounce back to glory.”

Obiano said that the objective of the relief programme was to evaluate existing taxes, levies and fees, introduce some waivers and in some cases scrap the collection of some illegal charges imposed on the people.

He added that government has employed 500 road sweepers to keep our cities clean, as well as engaged 300 youths into Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (OCHA) brigade to support the enforcement drive.

The Commissioner for Information and Communication Strategy, Ogbuefi Tony Nnacheta, said that the state would be losing N200 million annually by suspending the taxes, but felt that the wellbeing of the people was more important than making money.