Hotel occupancy law not designed to tax Imo citizens arbitrarily —Ihedioha
by Gibson AchonuGibson Achonu, Owerri
Governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State has said that one of the three bills he signed into law recently is not designed to tax Imo citizens arbitrarily.
Rather, he said, the much-criticised Imo State Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Tax Law No.35 is aimed at sanitising the consumer sub-sector of the tourism sector in the state, with the intent of boosting revenue for overall development.
Ihedioha spoke as he signed into law three bills, bringing the number of bills he has signed into law to 11 since he assumed office on May 29, 2019.
The three bills are: Imo State Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Tax Law No. 35 of 2019; Imo State Employment and Empowerment Trust Fund, Law No. 37 of 2019; and Imo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (Establishment) Law No. 36 of 2019.
Performing the signing of the bills into law at the Sam Mbakwe Expanded Executive Council Chambers, Ihedioha gave details of the significance and benefits of the law.
According to him, the Imo State Hotel and Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Tax, law No. 35 of 2019, was aimed at sanitising the consumer sub sector of the tourism sector in the state, with the intent of boosting revenue for its overall development.
He noted that the law is not designed to tax Imo citizens arbitrarily, but to place minimal tax on tourists coming to the state with a view of generating revenue for its development.
Ihedioha said the Imo State Employment and Empowerment Trust Fund Law would aid job creation, particularly for the teeming young population in the state.
On the third law, Imo State Signage and Advertisement Agency, the governor said the law did not seek to establish an agency on advertisements, but to “streamline and regulate indiscriminate display of signs and advertisements across the state.”
He maintained that the laws were geared towards improving the state and the citizenry.
At the signing ceremony were the Imo State Deputy Governor, Gerald Irona; Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Chiji Collins; Deputy Speaker, Okey Onyekanma; Clerk of the House, Chinelo Emeghara; Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice and Special Adviser to the Governor on Legislative Matters, Nnaemeka Maduagwu, among others.