The Anambra State Government has commenced what it described as ” Operation Show Your Receipts For Traders In All Markets” as veritable means for it to ensure that traders in the state paid directly to the government and not to non-state actors who have constituted themselves into revenue agents.

Disclosing this strategy to our correspondent in his office at the Revenue House Awka during an exclusive interview, Chairman of the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Richard Madiebo said it was important that government insisted on traders showing evidence of payment of their rates and levies to enable it beef up revenues from the markets.

Madiebo explained that Anambra state was 70% commercial and that if a trader paid his levies and commercial enterprises also paid their various personal income taxes and business premises, government would generate more funds to provide necessary infrastructure in the markets and the state at large.

He said ” Operation Show Your Receipts For Traders In All Markets” was for everyone to know that government required the support and collaboration of all and sundry especially as it concerns the exercise of their civic responsibilities through voluntary compliance and ensure they paid directly to government.

According to Madiebo, Anambra state taxes and rates for markets have been the lowest in Nigeria. That for instance, levies for private markets have been N7,400 and N12, 200 for government markets annually, adding that the levies were by far the lowest in the whole federation.

He said Irrespective of the very poor nature of the levies, traders in the markets have not been compliant and consistent with payments. The AIRS boss confirmed that government discovered that in the last 4 years, compliance with payment of rates and levies have been almost at zero levels.

He however expressed optimism that the Operation Show Your Receipts For Traders In All Markets which started on 20^th April, 2023, implied that henceforth every trader must show evidence that he has complied with payment of levies to government, pointing out that there are over a hundred markets in Anambra state.

He said even though the levies were abysmally low, the essence was to first and foremost achieve compliance then subsequently government would continue to engage traders on the best way to improve on the levies because the present state government, according to him, has a human face.

Madiebo said, ” This Operation Show Your Receipts will cover every market in Anambra state and we will make sure that we visit every market over the next few weeks to engage the trader.

So we appeal to Ndi-Anambra in business to do government a favour by voluntarily complying and pay their levies. Private market is N7,400 and government market is N12,200 for twelve months. We have also provided channels with which they can pay directly to government. “

The AIRS boss who further disclosed that the compliance level of Keke operators have increased drastically, said upon inception of the present state government revenue from Keke riders was about N7 Million monthly but with strategies put in place by the Soludo administration, IGR from tricycle operators as at March 2023 was about N170 Million.

That Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is carrying out urban regeneration through the amelioration of ecological challenges as well as provision of road infrastructure and other amenities with a view to creating a liveable, loveable and prosperous new Anambra but equally emphasized that traders and the entire citizenry must pay their taxes for government to get funds to execute these laudable projects. (Daily Independent)

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