Land Use Charge: We are still going ahead to protest against exorbitant, NBA insists

THE Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch, Adesina Ogunlana on Sunday reiterated the association’s planned protest should Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode does not revert the proposed increase in the Land Use Charge.

Recall that the NBA had given Governor Ambode a seven-day ultimatum to review the hike in the Land Use Charge.

Speaking to Nigerian Tribune on Sunday, Ogunlana revealed that the NBA would still continue with the protest.

“No the police has not gotten in touch with us. It’s only some ‘people’ from the government that has reached out to us and it is not sufficient reason to stop the protest, ” he said.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos early last week, Ogunlana said the branch would on Tuesday embark on street protest tagged “walk the talk” to protest the over 400% increment in land use charge and another over 300% in car registration without having a dialogue with relevant stakeholders.

“To the horrible shock of Lagosians, they woke up a few days ago to learn about the hyper-inflated rate of the so-called land use charge which the Governor of Lagos state has escalated upwards 400%”.

“Another notable tax increase is in the car registration fee, which is 300% In the judiciary, filing cost of litigation has jumped astronomically, pushing genuine but financially weak grievances away from employing and enjoying access to legal and judicial justice.”

Adesina lamented that if these regimes of tax were allowed to stay, Lagos State would be a living hell.

“Clearly the sharp increase in ancillary property tax of the land use charge will have a bandwagon effect on all other services and function in Lagos State as owners of properties and services will automatically transfer other financial burdens to other customers who will have to bear the burden or crumble under the weight.”

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Adesina said that the government could not hide under developing Lagos into a mega-smart city to kill Lagosians with what he called “pharaonic taxes”.

“Must Lagos become a so-called Paradise at the expense of lives and limbs of Lagosians? he said.

“Ambode should not let people regret voting for him the first time and go on to reject him for a second term,” Adelana lamented.