Pay tax to facilitate development, Oyetola, Oluwo urges Osun people

THE Oluwo of Iwo, Abdulrasheed Akanbi over the weekend underscored the need for people of Osun to pay tax in order for the government to bring about effective development in the state.

He made the appeal in Iwo township during the “Thank You” tour of the state governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola to the people of the community.

According to Oba Akanbi, “there is no other way than to pay tax. We cannot continue to rely on funds from the Federation Account if we want to develop this state. What if there is no oil money?”

While offering to lead the government’s campaign to persuade the people on the need for tax payment, the monarch stated “If you don’t pay tax, it is a shame. But if you pay, the government will fix roads and put other infrastructure in place.”

He emphasised that developed countries rely on tax payment, saying “even at home here, Lagos functions because of payment of tax. Our people must be ready to pay tax. Tax is a vehicle of development, tax is as important as government itself in any society; it defines the rate of development in any state.

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“If there is no fund, no iota of development can take place. So if we want our basic needs like good roads, electricity supply, portable water among others to be championed by the government, then, the time has come for us to be paying our taxes regularly.

‎”Also, if we want genuine development; continuity of good governance and real ‘change’, all hands must be on deck to support the government with tax payment.

In his remark, Oyetola said he was in Iwo as part of his tour of the nine federal constituencies in the state to thank the people for voting him during the last governorship election.

He expressed his readiness to sign a pact with the people to utilise whatever is paid as tax in any community to develop the place.

Oyetola averred that “as it is being suggested, I’m ready to sign an agreement with the people to use whatever they pay as tax to develop their community. Payment of tax is cardinal to development.”

He urged the people to continue to cooperate with the government.

Apart from Iwo, the tour which started in Osogbo, the state capital, took the governor to Ila Orangun, Ikirun, Ede, Ikire, Ile Ife, Ijebu Jesa and Ilesa.