Date: 2017-06-14

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji (Dr.) Abdulfatah Ahmed has reiterated that the government has neither introduced new taxes nor increased existing ones but has rather improved the efficiency of tax collection.

The governor made the emphasis in Ilorin, the State capital at a recent interactive session with Journalists. He also debunked the claims of multiple taxation by some organizations in the state.

Alhaji Ahmed disclosed that there has been an increase in the amount of revenue generated internally from N500M monthly to about N1.5B due to a change in the people, processes and technology of revenue collection and management which curbed previously high levels of tax evasion.

On the issue of new tax reforms being proposed by the State government, the governor noted that the bill has been presented to the State House of Assembly and has been subjected to a public hearing. He explained that no company has left the State and none would leave on the basis of tax as there are "platforms of agreement, negotiations, and waivers where necessary."

Governor Ahmed noted further, that Kwara has highly enabling environment for businesses and manufacturers to operate. To boost entrepreneurship, he said the State Government is proposing a 5 year tax holiday to pioneer Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the state.