The Ogun State Government plans to forward a bill to the state House of Assembly to enact a law that will empower it draw development tax from the Organised Private Sector, in support of ongoing infrastructural projects.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun disclosed this at the 6th edition of the Interactive Breakfast meeting with representatives of the OPS at the Government House, Abeokuta, yesterday.

He told the industrialists that apart from the subsisting taxes they pay, they should be ready to still part with more money to assist the state in serving them better.

The governor said his administration is committed to ensuring that those who are investing their money in the state do so with a lot of ease, adding that more people are now willing to do business with the state due to the achievements recorded so far by the government.

Amosun, who frowned at the situation where companies inscribe "Made in Lagos" to products manufactured in Ogun State, canvassed that products produced in the state should bear the inscription “Made in Ogun State”.'

He stated that in order to fully explore the value chain in agriculture and other industrial goods processing, his government is embarking on company mapping, which will enable the state match make those with raw materials to industries that need them.

On the inconsistencies in the country’s laws, which sometimes lead to double taxation and shortchanging of states on tax matters, Amosun noted that unless the constitution of the country is amended, some of these issues cannot be addressed.

Speaking on means of addressing some of the challenges confronting the state in revenue generation and other development imperatives, Mr. Fidelix Ayebe, founder of a pharmaceutical company operating in the state, called for the review of the nation’ s tax law, so that more people can be captured in the tax net.

Ayebe also called for public private sector arrangement to address some of the infrastructural and developmental needs of the state, while also advising the government to explore alternative road construction methods, such as concrete and interlocking roads, which he said are 10 to15 percent cheaper than asphalted roads.

Also speaking, Asiwaju Samuel Onafowokan, chairman, Coleman Wire and Cable ), corroborated Ayebe's observation that Value Added Tax option should be explored by the state, instead of the Company Income Tax and education taxes being currently pursued.

He also canvassed for a review of the state Property Tax Law.

Dr. Paul Agboru, another investor, spoke on the need for the state to put strategies in place for the drawing of a Climate Change Investment Fund from Paris Agreement, which can be assessed for sustainable development.

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