Anambra State Government said it has lost about N1.9 billion from Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, in six weeks, due to the lockdown order to contain the dreaded coronavirus pandemic.
In a telephone interview with Tribune Online, on Thursday, the Special Adviser to the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, on Political Affairs, Chief Ifeato Obi-Okoye, disclosed that the lockdown was not only having an effect on residents but also on government as the generation of revenue was severely affected.
According to him, it is not only residents that are running short of their daily incomes also the government has lost lots of revenue too.
Although I’m not working in the Anambra State Inland Revenue Service(AIRS), I gave the estimate while speaking with Tribune Online that Anambra state government has lost about N1.9 billion on Internally Generated Revenue within a period of six weeks, he stated.
Before the global spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Anambra state was internally generating a sum total of N1.3billion naira per month.
He said during this trying period, the State Government extended the deadline for the filing of annual tax returns for individuals in the state which was also part of the vacuum that has affected the state IGR.
He advised taxpayers to get updates on business operations and alternative payment platforms of the service by visiting the website on www.airs.an.gov.ng and its various social media handles to commence payment of their taxes now that the government are relaxed the lockdown order and business activities reopened.
Now that governor Willie Obiano has relaxed the lockdown order, we believed the state IGR will begin to boost, he added.
He urged the police to prosecute people who are found driving on major roads during the lockdown curfew with their vehicles impounded and auctioned.
And the proceeds of the sale should be put into government use as part of measures to revive the IGR.
He urged the people of the state to endure the lockdown curfew because it is better ‘’to endure a lockdown in few month’s than to have people dying prematurely.
ALSO READ: Uneasy calm in Niger over escape of COVID-19 woman as state records 3 new cases
He explained that Traders and businessmen/men in the state will receive a payment of 10% of the Personal Income Tax amount that they paid in 2019 as a palliative to help cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business with the hope that the lockdown will only last for two weeks.
The APGA chieftain called on the major political opponents, the People Democratic Party PDP and All Progressive Congress APC in the state to also contribute their quarters to ameliorate the suffering of the people at this hard time and stop politicizing the efforts of the current administration of Governor Willie Obiano that has been working tirelessly to ensure the devilish virus doesn’t have its way in the state.
Chief Obi-Okoye also called on Ndi Anambra to support the efforts of the Anambra State Government by adhering strictly to the COVID-19 safety guidelines as issued by relevant health authorities.
But a chieftain of the People Democratic Party PDP and an Awka based legal practitioner, Barrister John Okoli Akirika, on his contrary position, said Anambra state has not lost anything due to the constant palliatives donations by individuals and corporate organizations to the state pocket.
According to him, Anambra state has not experienced any COVID-19 challenges as much, compared to that of Lagos, Abuja and Kano States respectively.
So. I personally disagree with the declaration that Anambra state has lost N1.9 billion in six weeks due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
The governor should, without delayed broadcast to the people how much the state has generated from the COVID-19 donors and how much they have spent so far in given out palliatives to the less privilege in all the 181 communities that constitute the state, for transparency and accountability.
The State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Jerry Nnobia, in his brief talk with our correspondent via phone, said whether the COVID-19 palliatives donated by individuals or corporate bodies are properly use or not, what the state council is most interested is for the government to maintain it status quote on the monthly payment of salary to workers and the quick implementation of the new national minimum wage.
Attempt to speak to the Chairman/Chief Executive, Anambra State Internal Revenue, Dr. David Nzekwe, to collaborate, proved abortive as the official information director, Mrs Ngige, said the CEO was not in town and also not in the better position to ascertain to that now, promised to organise a zoom meeting with her boss on Monday next week where further information regard to state IGR will be revealed.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING
PHOTO NEWS: Suspected Coronavirus Patients Protest Treatment At Isolation Centre, Vow Never To Go Back
The patients, who trooped out from the Kwadon isolation centre, a few kilometres from Gombe town, alleged that they are starving at the centre, adding that they are not being well taken care of by the government. They marched on the highway disrupting free flow of traffic, showing their anger over what they described as… Read full story
COVID-19: Sick Emir Of Daura In Intensive Care
The Emir of Daura in Katsina State, Alh Umar Farouk, is currently at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina due to his poor health condition. A source had told Tribune Online that contrary to a report emanating from one of the online media that the monarch was admitted since on Monday… Read full story
FG Bars CBN, PTF From Unbudgeted Spending COVID-19 Donations
The Federal Government on Tuesday issued guidelines on the management of all COVID-19 special funds and donations. In a statement issued by Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, all funds related to COVID-19 must pass through the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and must not be spent unless the National… Read full story
One Doctor Died, 32 Tested Positive After Contact With COVID-19 Patients, Says Kano NMA Chairman
Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kano State chapter, Dr. Sunusi Muhammad Bala, on Tuesday disclosed that its association had lost one doctor to the coronavirus pandemic while 32 others have tested positive in the state. He also said that its members had resolved that they would not risk their… Read full story
Yar’Adua Reversed Policies That Hurt Nigerians When He Was President, Says Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has described former President Umaru Yar’Adua as a patriot despite their political differences. A statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), in Abuja on Tuesday said as Nigerians observed the 10th anniversary of the death of the former… Read full story
Senate Wants Police Force Decentralised
The Senate has called for the decentralisation of the Nigeria Police Force and the need for community policing as a way of addressing the country’s problem of insecurity. This formed part of the recommendations of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Nigeria Security Challenges which was considered and approved during… Read full story
All Set For Return Of 265 Nigerians From UAE On Wednesday ― Minister
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyema on Tuesday disclosed that the first batch of returning Nigerians in Diaspora would arrive in Nigeria on Wednesday, May 6, 2020… Read full story
Lagos Discharges Another 60 Patients After Testing Negative For Coronavirus
The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, announced the discharge of 60 patients from isolation centres after they tested negative for coronavirus twice. According to the governor, 40 males and 20 females were discharged from Yaba, Ibeju Lekki and Eti Osa isolation centres to reunite with… Read full story
Oyo Border Areas Porous, Extend COVID-19 Testing To Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso ― State Assembly Tells Makinde
The Oyo State House of Assembly has asked the Governor Seyi Makinde led government to pay attention to the porous nature of the state’s borders and extend testing to those border areas. The Assembly said this call became expedient due to the continued entry of foreign nationals into the state via borders in… Read full story
179 Arrested In Lagos For Flouting Face Mask, Distancing Order, 200 Vehicles Impounded
One hundred and seventy nine suspected violators of the face mask and social distancing order have been arrested by the police in Lagos State. Over 200 vehicles were also between Monday and Tuesday impounded by the police and the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA)… Read full story
CIBN To FG: Diversify Economy From Over-Reliance On Crude Oil
The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to diversify the economy and review its policy to stir the country away from import dependence and increase non-oil revenue. A past president of the institute and keynote speaker, Mr Laoye Jaiyeola, made the call at an… Read full story
COVID-19: Nasarawa Govt Begins Tracing Of 74 People Who Had Contact With Late Lawmaker
Nasarawa State Government says its response team is tracing 74 contacts of the House of Assembly member who died due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Abdullahi Sule made the disclosure while speaking at the beginning of an extended security meeting on Tuesday in Lafia… Read full story
and then