BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE
BENIN – EDO State Government has slashed by 25 percent the levies payable by private school owners in the state.

Disclosing this in Benin weekend at a meeting with the private school proprietors, Governor Adams Oshiomhole said, there should be realistic assessment of personal income tax.

“I believe that education is important to everyone. We should not be competing; instead we should complement each other”

“You are partners in development. If all your schools were to close down, the number of schools we would have to build would be enormous. Though you make profits, however, your contributions to education development are appreciated.”

The governor stated that inasmuch as he appreciates the argument of the school owners, he pointed out that, “There is pressure on us (state government) to do more.
“As much as we can enumerate what we have achieved, but if you look around, you would find that there are many schools that still need to be renovated, roads to be constructed, drains to be deflooded and streets to built,”

“To be able to bequeath to our children  a city that is beautiful, we need huge resources to translate our dreams and vision to reality.”

The governor who said his mission in government was to do the greatest good to the greatest number of people at the shortest possible time noted that any man who believes in one man one vote has no reason to offend the electorate.

“There is no comfort in some of the things we have had to do if we had better options,” he noted.

Earlier, the chairman of the Association of Private School Owners, Bishop Godly Opukeme commended the efforts of the governor in the development of the state.

“With what you are doing in Edo state, paying the money is not a wasted effort, we have come to partner with you in the development of education in the state,” he added.

He assured that the Association is in support of the governor’s re-election bid, urging him to sustain the developmental strides in the state.