PAY YOUR TAX TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT – HON. MUSA

By Alabi Sheriff

The Executive Chairman of Ado-Odo Ota Local Government, Hon Sheriff Adewale Musa, has called on residents of the Council Area to pay their taxes, levies and fines as at when due to support the government in its bid to bring about positive change .

The Chairman made this call at the Local Government Secretariat, Ota, while receiving members of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) who paid him a courtesy call as part of the activities lined up for celebration of Ota and district 40th anniversary of the Institute.

The Council Boss said that the time is now ripe for the people of the Local Government to find it a necessity to pay their taxes, levies and fines as at when due, to help the government to deliver dividends of democracy to the people in a meaningful way.

According to Hon. Musa, “Without the cooperation of the people, no government can succeed in governance. By paying taxes, levies and fines at the appropriate time mean the people has empowered the government with financial strength it needs to bring about a positive change in the society. However, when they do not, government will be crippled financially”

“It is impossible to have any discussion on Public -Private- Partnership (PPP) without first addressing the issue of Taxation. When people see it as an inevitability to pay tax and other dues, and act accordingly, it is benefitial to the government and whatever legal personality which fulfills these obligations, because it affords the said legal personality and the government the opportunity to become stakeholders in nation building” the Council Boss said.

He stated further that the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria is the sort of association my administration likes to relate with, because they handle and hold close to their hearts what we cannot do without in governance – taxation.

“The fact that they are present and active in the Ado Odo Ota Local Government for over forty years is a great advantage to the government. With their professionalism, we can easily demystify certain unnecessary complexities that confront us in enforcement and collection of tax. I hope the partnership we forge today will last long enough to achieve our mutual aims and objectives.” Hon. Musa concluded.

The Chairman of Ota and District Society of the Institute, Mr Adeola Agbogunleri who led the team to the Council Secretariat intimated the crowd that the institute deemed it fit to visit the Council Boss as part of the activities for the celebration of the institute 40th anniversary.

He further appreciated Hon. Musa for creating time to host and celebrate with the institute.

The Institute members, dancing to drums and trumpets later moved round the Local Government Secretariat and its environs with great joy, displaying a flex banner notifying the people of the Institute’s 40th anniversary celebration and programme highlights.