The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress in Enugu State, Ocho Obodoeze Chukwuma, says his administration, if elected in 2027, will adopt fair and structured taxation in the state.
He told newsmen in Enugu that there is nothing wrong in taxation as a means of government revenue, but insisted that “it must be properly organised, with consideration for people’s different economic capacities”.
According to him, “Hawkers, wheelbarrow pushers and other low-income earners should not be subjected to unreasonable tax burdens. Government should create opportunities, provide support and empower economically-vulnerable people to improve their businesses and standard of living.”
He also promised to address what he called multiple taxation, illegal revenue collections and harassment by unauthorised revenue agents in the state. According to him, “Government should expand its revenue base through investment, business growth, economic expansion, improved management of public assets and the reduction of revenue leakages. The essence of responsible governance is understanding that people do not all have the same economic capacity. A government that understands its people must know when to collect revenue, when to provide support and when to create opportunities. The objective should be to move people from poverty to productivity, from daily survival to economic independence. A government should not make poverty more expensive. It should create opportunities for people to escape it.”
He maintained that “there is absolutely nothing wrong with paying tax”, adding that, “Taxation remains an important responsibility in building a functional government and sustaining public development”.
