Abia parents to pay three years tax before registration of children in schools

By Anayo Okoli

Umuahia -ABIA state government has directed heads of schools, primary, secondary and tertiary, as well as private schools, to collect three years tax  payment from  parents and wards, who want to register their children and wards in schools in the state.

The Government also warned  the school authorities to keep proper record of the payments made, even as it announced that any person, who wants to transact any form of business with it must present three years payment of tax to qualify.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Theodore Orji, Mr. Kingsley Emereuwa said the measure was part of government’s plan to enhance its internal revenue generation.

Only last week, the government announced the abolition of all sundry levies in public schools and  introduced what it called development levies.

“The Abia state government wishes to inform the general public that after a careful appraisal  of its taxation system in the face of dwindling resources caused by the global financial meltdown, the state government has decided to improve its revenue generation by introducing measures to help it meet up with its obligations to the people.

Henceforth, all individuals especially contractors wishing to do business with the state government must attach photocopies of their tax Clearance Certificate alongside bank tellers as evidence of tax payment in the last 3 years to their contract proposals, before submitting such proposals to government,” the statement said.