The Coalition of Business and Professional Associations in Kwara State have denounced the state's signage and advertisement agency law.

The association claimed that the law contravenes the constitution of the country, and that the signage and advertisement are constitutionally the prerogative of the local government.

Spokesperson of the association, Bashir Oladipo stated this in Ilorin at a roundtable conference with the state House of Assembly.  

Oladipo called for "domestication of the taxes and levies (approved List for Collection) Act 1998 as a law of the State House of Assembly; particularly section 1,2,3 of the said Law." 

He called for amendment of the state Signage and Advertisement Agency Law to stop duplication of taxes in the state.  

Oladipo noted that the law creates double levies on the cost of business at different levels of government with one of the levies being paid to the Signage and Advertisement Agency, which is a state department and the other to the local government.  

He demanded that the section of the law, which duplicate payment of the levies  to both the agency and the local government be deleted.  

He said that if these requests are met they will eliminate double taxation on businesses operating in the state while the legislature would be seen to be acting in accordance with the constitution.  

Oladipo said deleting the section will eliminate inter governmental crisis, which he said was already brewing between the state and local government tax collecting agencies.  

He said the cost of operating business in the state will reduce and that dialogue and advocacy would be encouraged to be used as means of resolving crisis.  

The speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abdualrazak Atunwa, who acknowledged requests of the coalition, said the House would always carry along the group as a stakeholder when making laws for the socio-economic development of the state.  

The speaker, who was represented by the deputy speaker of the House, Mohammed Yisa Gana commended the coalition for its contribution to the development of the state.