The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has expressed concern over imposition of various taxes by government at various levels, describing the attitude as “disincentive to investment”.
The president of the chamber, Asiwaju Kayode Onafowokan, said this in Lagos, on Wednesday, at tax awareness seminar jointly organised by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the chamber and Toki Mabogunje & Co.
Onafowokan said the major issue about multiplicity of tax was due to lack of what he called proper coordination among different levels of government on tax matters, saying all these encumbrances called for urgent reforms of the tax system.
He lamented that the revenue derived from oil over the years had overshadowed the importance and relevance of tax in the country, adding that, “for many of our governments, oil revenue accounted for over 85 per cent of the total revenue. The recent global economic crisis has, however, triggered a new consciousness on tax. Governments at all levels are now focusing on non-oil revenue sources.”
The LCCI boss noted that there was need to urgently streamline the number of taxes being paid by investors in the country’s economy, saying, fewer taxes would make business planning easier and better, without necessarily leading to loss of revenue to government.
He said: “There is need for national legislation to check the excesses of the local governments on tax matters. Currently, there are all manner of taxes imposed at local government levels.”
“This phenomenon has become a major nuisance to investors. Many of the local councils claim that these taxes derive legitimacy from bye-laws enacted by them.”
“Only recently, a member of the chamber got a bill for a fumigation levy of N150, 000 from a local government.”