Mefor Warns AIRS Against Taxing Businesses to Death, Demands Aggressive Revenue Drive

By Praise Chinecherem

Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor, has urged the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) to intensify revenue generation efforts without imposing excessive tax burdens on businesses and residents.

Mefor gave the charge on Thursday, October 29, 2026, when the Corporate Communications Unit of AIRS, led by Lynda Chioma Okoye, alongside Umeh Onyinye Charity, Chinwe Enemchukwu and Paschal Blaise Eme, visited him to strengthen collaboration with the ministry.

The commissioner stressed that AIRS plays a critical role in the economic development of Anambra, particularly as Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration continues to pursue major infrastructure and social development projects.

These include Awka 2.0, Ekwulobia Flyover City, Airport City, New Niger City aimed at decongesting Onitsha, Awka City Park, the Marriott Hotel, and the construction of over 900 kilometres of roads, with approximately 750 kilometres already tarred.

He also highlighted the planned regeneration of Onitsha Main Market for delivery in December, as well as the government’s commitment to sustaining free education and free antenatal and delivery services.

According to Mefor, the state’s revenue performance remains below its potential, with Anambra’s internally generated revenue (IGR) reportedly among the lowest in the South-East and almost half that of Enugu State.

He attributed the shortfall to inadequate tax education, weak enforcement of cashless revenue collection, revenue leakages and the absence of a comprehensive taxpayer database.

“Every lock-up shop must be taxed and must have a Tax Identification Number,” Mefor declared.

He urged AIRS to intensify taxpayer enumeration across major commercial centres, including Onitsha Main Market, Ochanja, Ose, Nnewi and Nkpor, as well as markets across the state.

The commissioner further recommended the recruitment of ad hoc personnel where necessary to support the enumeration exercise and ensure that more businesses are captured in the state’s tax database.

Mefor, however, cautioned that revenue generation must be balanced with the need to protect businesses from excessive taxation, noting that aggressive revenue collection should not translate into policies that undermine commercial activities.

He maintained that taxpayers would be more willing to fulfil their obligations when they could see tangible evidence of how their contributions were being utilised.

In this regard, he pointed to Governor Soludo’s open-government initiatives, including the online publication of contract details, 48-hour grievance-resolution dashboards and a budget structure reportedly allocating 79 per cent to capital expenditure and 21 per cent to recurrent expenditure.

The commissioner pledged to resubmit a proposal for a comprehensive statewide tax enlightenment campaign, describing tax payment as the foremost civic responsibility of citizens.

He emphasised that improved revenue generation was essential to enabling the government to deliver on its development agenda without resorting to borrowing.

“With only three effective years left, AIRS must automate its operations, block revenue leakages and intensify public enlightenment campaigns to support the governor’s development agenda,” Mefor said.

Earlier, the head of the AIRS Corporate Communications Unit, Lynda Chioma Okoye, said the visit was aimed at consolidating the cordial relationship established during the commissioner’s earlier visit to the agency.

She disclosed that the team also sought to establish a joint media team to strengthen communication and follow up on areas of collaboration between AIRS and the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation.

Okoye added that the AIRS chairman remained committed to the partnership despite his demanding schedule.

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