11th March, 2012
Ogun state government, southwest Nigeria, has assured civil servants in the state that begining from this month, it will commence the implementation of the new tax regime just signed into law by the Federal government thereby setting aside the controversial outrageous tax policy.
Addressing newsmen at the weekend in Abeokuta, the state capital, the Consultant to the Governor on Labour matters, Chief Julius Ogundipe, disclosed that the new system when operational will reduce the amount being paid by civil servants as tax drastically.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ogun state chapter, had earlier called on the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun to stop the “outrageous tax regime” imposed on civil servants in the state.
The union made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of the combined meeting of the State Administrative Council (SAC) and State Executive Council (SEC) of NLC held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital recently.
The organised labour urged the governor to immediately implement the recently signed tax law by President Goodluck Jonathan in order to avoid taxing workers in the state’s public service excessively.
The communiqué reads in part: “The SAC and SEC of Congress deliberated on the non-implementation by the Ogun State government, the recently signed Tax Law by President Goodluck Jonathan.
“The SAC and SEC therefore calls on the government of Ogun state to discontinue the deduction of the old tax law and without further delay, cause the implementation of the New Tax Law by February 2012 to avoid continuous over taxation of workers in the public service of the state.”
But Ogundipe in his submission said apart from Lagos State, Ogun state is one of the frontline states to adopt the implementation of the new tax law.
He therefore urged the workers to reciprocate government’s gesture by putting in their best in the service of the state, adding that the present administration has been workers friendly and will not toy with anything that will affect workers welfare.
By Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta