Following vehement condemnation of the moves by the Rivers State Government to introduce the Rivers state Hotels Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Bill, and the Rivers state Taxes and Levies Miscellaneous Bill, the Chairman, adhoc Committee on Finance, Edison Ehie has assured stakeholders who attended the public hearing at the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex, that government would step down on aspects of the bill that contravene any existing law or judgment.
He said, “the observations of the stakeholders will be taken into consideration. We are going to try our best to strike a balance. The public has made a lot of important points on this bill.”
Stakeholders who attended the public hearing had earlier observed that introduction of new taxes would lead to double taxation, adding that if not properly checked, it may stifle businesses in Rivers state.
On his part, a representative of the Rivers state Chapter of the Trade Union Congress, (TUC), Chima Charles Igwe said “our interest as labor is on the tax. We are aware that in the seventh Assembly we had issues of the social services bill, for which we deliberated and we are aware that there is a suit that had entered into judgment in the Rivers State High Court of competent jurisdiction.
“We thought that the House of Assembly should not pass the bill on tax, because it amounts to double taxation.
” we have recognized the bill as illegal based on the Court of law that had passed a judgment” he stated.
On his part, the State chairman of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria , Azubuike Azubuike noted that the state government should focus more on improving security in order to attract more investors, rather than increase taxes.
Stakeholders at the public hearing were Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Civil Liberties Organization, Institute of Human rights and Humanitarian law and others also rejected the proposed bill.
