Tax Harmonisation Bill Scales First Reading

A bill seeking to provide for the harmonisation of taxes and
levies payable in Rivers State, has passed through first reading at the state
Assembly.

Presenting the Executive bill, Monday, the Deputy Leader of
the House, Hon. Nname Ewor, said the proposed law when passed would check cases
of multiple taxation and levies in the state.

According to Hon. Ewor, the harmonised law is expected to
modify and bring to conformity all provisions of any law providing for the
payment of taxes and levies in the state.

“Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any other
law, where any law provides for the payment of any tax or levy in the state,
such provision shall not be enforceable unless the respective schedule to this
law is modified to include such tax or levy and such modification is by notice
published in the official government Gazette in the state”, Ewor declared.

Similarly, he said, “from the commencement of this law,
local government councils in the state shall, to the exclusion of any other
ministry, department, agency or governmental body, collect the taxes and levies
listed in the first column of the second schedule to the law”.

According to clause 5 (a) of the draft law, a person shall
pay to the local government council in which he resides or carries on business,
any tax or levy payable to the council in charge of that area.

The Tide gathered that the proposed law provides, subject to
the provisions of this law and except as it affects fixed and landed
properties, no person shall be liable to pay any tax or levy payable to a local
government council if he has paid the same tax or levy to another local
government council for a period that has not expired.

Meanwhile, debate on the bill expected to commence this week
when the Assembly reconvenes.