(By Amen Gajira)
Minna, Sept. 20, 2016 (NAN) The Niger State Coalition for Business and Professional Associations (NICOBPA) says multiple taxation is stifling smooth operations and growth of business enterprises in the state.
The new elected chairman of the coalition, Alhaji Muhammed Lawal, made this known on Tuesday in an interview with newsmen in Minna.
“The incidence of multiple taxes is a major issue affecting the business community here in Niger State.
“This is because if you have to spend all your money on taxes for government, you won’t have enough for the survival of that business.
“And this boils down to tax officials’ personal greed and gains (corruption).
“This is why government needs to create awareness to help tax payers in identifying and determining legitimate taxes and tax collectors.’’
Lawal identified other problems militating against businesses in the state to include poor power supply, poor access to credit facilities as well as poor roads.
“Power supply is also an issue. In my own business I spend about N5,000 daily on diesel and petrol.
“Then, there is also problem of poor road and lack of access to credit facilities which is also stifling growth and expansion of enterprises.
“Government needs to address this issues as it will improve the business environment as well as boost government revenues tremendously.’’
He said that NICOBPA was working on a business agenda outlining the problems being faced by the business community in the state as well as possible solutions to solving them.
According to him, the problems will be presented to the state government.
“Presently, we are working on a business agenda for Niger and in due course it will be presented to the state government,’’ he said.
NAN reports that NICOBPA is a conglomeration of 23 private enterprises working in partnership with the Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) and was inaugurated in 2010.
(Source: NAN)