Enugu state elder statesman, Prince Charles Okongwu, has expressed his concern over the excessive taxation imposed on residents by Governor Peter Mbah’s administration. According to Prince Okongwu, these heavy taxes have exacerbated the existing hardships faced by the people of Enugu state.
In a letter addressed to 9News Nigeria, Prince Charles Okongwu, identified himself as a resident of Enugu, Nigeria. He urged the Commissioner for Finance and the Enugu state government to explain how the ongoing heavy taxation in the state aims to alleviate the high inflation affecting goods, food, rent, bills, and services in Nigeria. He also expressed his expectation that the commissioner would attend an upcoming program.
Prince Okongwu criticized the current taxation policies in Enugu state, labeling them as poor economic decisions made at an inopportune time. He emphasized that the citizens of Enugu state are already grappling with the hardships resulting from the removal of federal subsidies. Despite this, the Enugu state government has further burdened its people with exorbitant taxes, which Prince Okongwu considers to be the highest in the state’s history.
Prince Okongwu questioned the rationale behind imposing such taxes on the citizens of Enugu, highlighting that even street market vendors and children selling goods are not exempt. He cited an annual tax amount of over twenty-two thousand naira, with landlords facing an even higher burden of ninety-eight thousand naira per year. He expressed concern that these taxes are being introduced at a time when the country is experiencing a significant inflationary trend, leading to skyrocketing prices of goods and services.
According to Prince Okongwu, it is illogical and cruel to subject the people of Enugu state to both high inflation and heavy taxation, as this contradicts elementary economic principles. He suggested that instead of imposing such burdensome taxes, the government should focus on utilizing the monthly federal allocation received to implement policies aimed at reducing the high cost of goods and services. He emphasized the urgent need for the government to reconsider these taxes to prevent further economic hardship and the enslavement of Enugu state citizens.
Prince Okongwu also drew attention to the pressing issues of starvation and inadequate healthcare faced by the people, contrasting these challenges with claims of providing citizen palliatives. He implored the government to adopt a compassionate approach and consider the well-being of its citizens, reminding them that this world is not their permanent home.
Part of the letter sent to 9News Nigeria by Prince Charles Okongwu:
“I am Prince Charles Okongwu in Enugu, Nigeria. Kindly help me ask the Commissioner for Finance in Enugu state and the government how the current heavy taxation ongoing in Enugu state hopes to reduce the high inflation we are currently witnessing on our goods, food, rent, bills, and services in Nigeria. He should explain to us, using any proven economic theories, how inflation, as we currently experience it, can be resolved through heavy and aggressive taxation of Enugu state citizens and residents. I have learned that he has promised to attend your program soon.”
“The current new massive taxation in Enugu state by the current Enugu state government is a completely bad economic policy that is mistimed. We, the Enugu state citizens, are still battling with the hardships resulting from the federal government’s actions on subsidy removal. Yet, the government of Enugu state, based on its negative calculations, imposes the highest ever taxed tax in the state, causing destructive harm.”
“How can any reasonable government, with the best interest of its citizens, impose such taxes on its citizens, including our street market women and children selling in the streets of Enugu, with a taxing amount above twenty-two thousand naira annually?”
“The landlord tax is even worse, amounting to ninety-eight thousand naira yearly. The inflation index in the country is very high, with prices of goods and services skyrocketing, and the state is imposing such taxes on its citizens.”
“It’s pure madness and wickedness towards the people of Enugu state. Inflation and heavy taxation cannot coexist in any elementary economic theory.”
“Why doesn’t the government concentrate on utilizing the monthly federal allocation received from the federal government and judiciously work on policies that can reduce the high cost of goods and services, instead of implementing such dehumanizing taxation?”
“The government should henceforth drop such taxation in the state to avoid complete economic enslavement of Enugu citizens. People are dying of starvation, and there is no free healthcare.”
“On one hand, we claim to be providing citizen palliatives in the state, while on the other hand, we burden citizens with the heaviest ever taxation. Let us have a common human face towards ourselves. This world is not our home.”
