Kwara school owners protest multiple taxation
Members of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools in Kwara State on Thursday staged a peaceful protest over what they described as exorbitant and multiple taxation by the state Internal Revenue Service.
The group, which has about 3,000 members, marched to the Ministry of Education, Ilorin to register their grievances with the government.
The Association led by the State President of NAPPS, Dr Temitope Ajibola, said that it members rejected recent charges, levies and taxes on private school owners and businesses in the state by the KWIRS because it was exploitative.
Ajibola gave the Ministry of Education 72 hours to resolve the issue with KWIRS as WAEC registration would close on Friday, adding that various taxes imposed by KW-IRS will adversely affect WAEC registration of private school students.
“The stringent taxes will affect registration of pupils for WAEC exams as school owners will find it hard to meet up with the deadline to upload WAEC CASS which closes in 48 hours because the KWIRS refused to issue clearance except on payment.
“We can't meet up. That's why we're protesting. We are appealing to KWIRS not to pitch us against the state government”, he said.
The school proprietors said they were levied on over 11 different charges and taxes, appealing to the state government to prevail on KW-IRS to only maintain the levy on renewal fee.
He said that some of the recent charges and taxes include land charges, personal income tax, signage and advertisement fees, renewal fees on business premises, fire prevention/inspection fees, fees on school health, safety permit, pest control and fumigation certificate fees, among others.
Ajibola urged the state revenue agency to see them as partners in progress, considering the fact that they are employers of labour, saying that multiple taxation could lead to closure of many private schools in the state.
The group, which asked for urgent response from government on their appeal, said that the aggrieved parents with their students may storm the ministry on another protest on Monday, if no favourable response was received in 72 hours.
“We're employers of labour to be commended and not to be condemned. We employ 1000s of teachers which the government have no capacity to cater for. We run our schools with loan and we're not rich people. Many of us are running at a loss. We are in need of government assistance. We are even finding it hard to pay teachers. Kwara State is a civil service economy. Many parents pay after salary payment”, he said.
Addressing the school owners, the Director, Quality Assurance Bureau, Kwara State Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Mrs Ade Aboyeji, commended the school proprietors for their peaceful and mature conduct.
She also promised to inform the appropriate quarters about their grievances.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Saba Mamman Daniel Offa Grammer School Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi SWAN Salihu Ajia Mutawalle Muhammad Toyin Sanusi Sheriff Shagaya Abdulwahab Olarewaju Issa Durbar Festival Kunle Okeowo Farouk Salim Saka Saadu Suleiman Abubakar Dan Iya Of Ilorin Sa\'adu Salau Dairo Kunle Paul Ayotunde Emmanuel Alao Ayobola Ipinlaiye Bamidele Adegoke Yusuf Lanre Badmas Government High School (GHS), Adeta Bolaji Abdullahi Muhammed Abdullahi Michael Nzwekwe Ibrahim Gambari Talaka Parapo Obayomi Azeez Bamidele Adegoke Oladimeji Tinubu Legacy Forum Bola Tinubu Olaosebikan Bibire Ajape Oni Adebayo Erubu Oba Zubair Suraj Tunji Oyewale Oke-Kura Abubakar Olusola Saraki Convocation Ceremonies Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education Yakubu Shaaba Roseline Oni Aremu Kamaldeen Kehinde Yusuf Abdulwahab Ali Ahmad NFAI Abdulrahman Abdulrazak N-Power Ejidongari Ibrahim Abiodun Dumagi Shuaib Jawondo Yaman Imodoye Writer’s Enclave Mohammed Kamaludeen Share AbdulKareem Yusuf Danhawa Saad Belgore Titus Suberu-Ajibola Gaa Olobi James Ayeni CKNG Tayo Awodiji Joshua Adeyemi Adimula LEAH Charity Foundation Bamidele Aluko Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission Bolakale Kawu Agaka Lawal Olohungbebe Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria Umar Danladi Shero Adeola Abraham Dele Momodu Garuba Alikinla Shittu Isa Aremu Olusola Saraki Abubakar B.M

