Digital Tax Enrolment: Anambra Government Sets July 17 Deadline for Commercial Bus, Tricycle Operators

The Anambra State government has given tricycles, shuttle buses and other commercial vehicle operators in the state till July 17, 2022, to undergo verification and enumeration, a data capturing process for the newly introduced digital tax regime.

According to the Chairman of Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AiRS), Mr. Richard Madiebo, the exercise was supposed to last for four weeks from the date of announcement and launching by Governor Chukwuma Soludo but was extended to two months to ensure full compliance.
Madiebo disclosed during a joint government media briefing by the Ministries of Transport, Trade and Commerce, of Information and the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service at the Government House, Awka.

He explained that the new tax regime was introduced by the present administration because it wants to create an economy that would be at par with what is obtainable across the world as a way of doing away with touting in the state.
While pointing out that the goal is to create a digital structure around taxation so that people can pay direct to the government and eliminate loss of revenue, the AIRS Boss emphasized that the resolution was based on an agreement between the commuters after a series of engagements.
Speaking on the development, the Commissioner for Transport, Barrister Pat Igwebuike, noted that studies carried out by the state government indicated that tricycle operators were paying as much as N2000 daily, to all sorts of revenue agents. He stressed that the new tax regime was to introduced by the Soludo government was designed to eliminate all those illegal levies and introduce transparency in the system.

Igwebuike who dismissed the outcry by the transporters that the new daily tax collection imposed on them was not cost-effective and astronomically high, insisted that the N600 per day tax introduced was the minimum the state government can charge them for using Anambra roads and for maintaining the various government parks.
He recalled that the Soludo administration did not collect revenue from commercial transport operators for its first four months in preparation for the imminent new regime.

While explaining that when the transporters begin to pay the new tax, the state government would generate revenue to implement its development initiatives in Anambra, especially roads and parks, the commissioner disclosed that with the successful completion of the verification and enumeration exercise every commuter can be easily tracked. According to him, the new tax regime amounts to a win-win situation for everybody.
She stated that people alleged to be collecting revenue illegally are now under government radar and advised them to stand down or face the full embrace of the law.
On his part, the Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Mr Obinna Ngonadi dismissed the news making the rounds that market levies were increased in the state as lies, stating that fees paid across markets in Anambra remained the same.

The Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu informed the public that the state government will continue to shoulder its responsibility of giving out adequate information to the public regarding its policies.

Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Christian Aburime, among other senior government officials were in attendance at the briefing.