Tax Bill: RVHA Defers Debate Over Inconsistencies

Rivers State House of Assembly last Wednesday deferred debate indefinitely on its House Committee on Finance report for a law to harmonise taxes and levies in the State for alleged inconsistencies.

Contributing on the report, Hon. Michael Okey Chinda said the Constitution of the Federal Republic  of Nigeria granted the local government  councils the power to control markets and name streets.

Hon. Chinda who represents Obio/Akpor Constituency II, disclosed that the report on the proposed law contains several inconsistencies that need to be exposed to avoid creating more problems instead of improving on the existing practice.

According to the lawmaker, “the House should be careful in passing laws because it would not be judged by the number of laws passed but the quality of such laws.”

He also picked holes on the removal of Town Planning role of the council to the Ministry of Urban Planning and urged the Assembly to reject the report.

Hon. Victor Ihunwo, Port Harcourt III and Hon. Victoria Nyeche condemned the report on the areas where it assigned the collection of levies from markets in Port Harcourt to the state government as against the constitution to grant such duties to the council.

Hon Legborsi Nwidadah, Khana Constituency II, said the proposed law would create problem between TIMARIV and the local government council as both were allowed to impound vehicles for wrong parking while the section dealing with obstruction of motorists should be specific.

Also contributing, Hon. Golden Chioma, Etche Constituency II, suggested that the term property tax should be deleted because only Ministry of Lands would have personnel to evacuate property and not Internal Revenue Board made up of financial experts alone.

Hon Chioma also identified certain items not captured in the bill, especially revenue generated at the judiciary, including filing fees by lawyers, probate registry. among others.

On his part, the leader of the House Hon. Chidi Lloyd argued that the take a deep breathe, harmonise and remove contentious issues to enable the Assembly Streamline the bill.

According to him , “to avoid creating institutional problems and to enable our laws pass the test of time,” the bill should be returned to the committee for further legislative action, adding that whatever opinion members hold once the bill is passed, their names are at stake.

The Speaker, Rt Hon. Otelemaba Amachree  ruled that thedebate on the report by the chairman of finance committee Hon. Josiah Olu be deferred indefinitely to allow for more inputs on the bill.