Ekiti deputy governor pays taxes due to govt

Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti

The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, has paid taxes on his income from other sources due to the State government.

This was disclosed by the Executive Chairman of Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKIRS), Mr. Olumuyiwa Ogunmilade, while presenting receipt of payment to the Deputy Governor in his residence in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

Ogunmilade who expressed his delight with the good example set by Otunba Egbeyemi urged other citizens to emulate the state’s number two citizen’s patriotic gesture.

The EKIRS boss stated that the Deputy Governor, apart from the regular “Pay As You Earn” (PAYE) tax being regularly deducted, has also paid all taxes on his income from other sources such as business, due to the coffers of Ekiti State Government.

Ogunmilade said: “The Deputy Governor paying taxes due to the State is a clear indication of support, responsibility and integrity and one that needs to be emulated by all the good people of Ekiti State.”

The Chairman noted that the Deputy Governor has done well by emulating the good leadership traits shown by Governor Kayode Fayemi who had earlier paid his Land Use Charge and other taxes due to the State Government.

This, he said, has shown the commitment of the Governor and the Deputy Governor meeting towards improving the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State.

In his reaction, Egbeyemi said a society can only witness rapid development when the citizens pay their taxes as and when due.

The Deputy Governor also urged all Ekiti people to cultivate the habit of paying their taxes without waiting to be chased around by tax officers as payment of tax is one of the citizen’s obligations under the law.

Egbeyemi said: “I am using this medium to appeal to all taxable citizens and owners of businesses to pay their taxes to the state government because this is one of our civic and patriotic obligations.

“When we all regularly and faithfully pay our taxes, it will give government the opportunity to render services to us and provide other things we need like social amenities.

“Payment of taxes will also make our state depend less on allocations from the Federal Government to render better services to us.”

Egbeyemi commended the EKIRS boss and his team for their efforts in shoring up the state IGR through various innovations which he said are yielding results.