News

Enugu private school owners lament heavy taxation

Published

2 months ago

October 9, 2024

Private school owners in Enugu State have raised the alarm over the shutting down of schools over flimsy excuses and exorbitant taxes and levies the government imposed on private schools.

Crying out for help, the proprietors said that the government’s new tax regime on private schools, which need to be helped to continue to provide quality education, is suffocating them with over 2,000 per cent increase.

They said that the fees, which range from N450,000 to N2.2 million depending on the school’s size, from the usual N30,000 they paid during the last administration’s tenure are crippling many institutions, leading to shutdowns.

Chairman of the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria, Emeka Grahams, who addressed journalists on Sunday, expressed frustration that pleas to the government to reconsider have fallen on deaf ears.

The Enugu State Ministry of Education’s drastic 2,500 per cent increase in annual renewal fees, from N30,000 to a whopping N450,000 to N2.2 million, has left many schools struggling to stay afloat. This policy has been likened to “manhandling” school owners, creating an unfavourable environment.

It’s worth noting that the Enugu State government has been working to enhance education standards, with initiatives like the Smart School Project, aiming to integrate technology and improved infrastructure. However, the timing and implementation of these policies seem to be causing undue hardship for private schools.

Last week the government announced that it has closed down some schools which it tagged as operating from poor and quality infrastructures.

Grahams, however, lamented that those schools, and many others, are now facing uncertainty due to the government’s taxation policies, creating chaos in the education industry in the state.

He noted that why the government cannot provide jobs for its teaming youths, those who are engaged as teachers in private schools are now without work.

He enthused, “The issue is that private school owners in Enugu State are being manhandled by a policy. The government, through the Ministry of Education, came up with a policy of high taxation far beyond what we used to have before the advent of this administration.

“It used to be N30,000 annual renewal, but now we have various taxes that are broken into stages. Before now, it used to be one and it covers everything but now you have early child tax, one for Junior Secondary School, one for Senior Secondary School and other categories.

“The worst of it is that the provisional approval fee that schools used to pay no longer applies. They say you have to register afresh. Let me just say that if you are running early child – that is nursery, primary, junior and senior secondary schools, you are expected to pay close to N2.2 million.”

He averred that comparatively, other states like Lagos, Rivers and Abuja don’t pay that much, an indication that the government wants to run them out of business and at the same time rob parents and children the opportunity offered by the private schools, knowing full well that government alone cannot cater for the educational needs of the citizenry.

Grahams pointed out that efforts they have made for a change of heart have not yielded any dividends, since the government is going about closing schools that fail to pay the taxes and only reopen the same when they pay.

He added, “There was a time they would listen to us, but this government is not listening to us. Schools are being shut for not paying the fees and once they pay, they are reopened. Their interest is not in the quality or standard of education, but money.”

Speaking at the occasion, a member of Enugu1 State Education Stakeholders and President of the Proprietors Association of Private Schools, South-East zone, Dr Ejiofor Godwin, pointed out that “these heavy taxes do nothing to improve the quality of education, but serve only to further burden private school owners.”

Godwin noted that private schools contribute significantly to the state’s internally generated revenue, adding that they should be encouraged and assisted to grow instead of stifling them.

He stated, “For clearance of doubt below is the analysis of the bills each school is expected to pay:

“A. Senior Secondary – application form – N200,000; two years provisional approval – N300,000; application for license – N200,000;

yearly renewal fee – N200,000. In total, you pay N900,000 for running senior secondary only.

“B. Complete Basic Education – Nursery 1 to JSS3: application form – N500,000; two years provisional approval – N250,000; licence application – N250,000; yearly renewal fee – N300,000 – total N1.3 million to run complete basic education.

“By implication, to run nursery 1 to SS3, the school should pay N2.2 million to the government that provides nothing, not even public school buses for school pupils.

He added, “For category C, intermediate basic – Nursery 1 – Primary 6: the government charges – application form – N200,000; two years provisional approval – N200,00; application for license – N200,000 and yearly renewal fee – N200,000 totalling N800,000.

“Category D. Early Childhood – Nursery 1 – Primary 3: application form – N100,000; two years provisional approval – N100,000; licence application – N100,000 and yearly renewal fee – N150,000 totalling N450,000.”

“The implication is that if these bills are allowed to fly, school fees in private schools will astronomically increase because proprietors will pay teachers’ salaries, maintain their facilities and pay other government taxes apart from this. Parents who cannot cope with the increment of school fees will withdraw their children to nowhere because the public schools are substandard and the smart schools are not ready and even when they are ready, cannot admit all the children coming out from private schools.”

He explained that the private school proprietors had demanded that the government should give at least 3 years for them to improve on structures and facilities in their schools, but that pleas were rebuffed.

Godwin said they have also requested financial and material support to school owners and the removal of equal fees payable at the ministry, adding that fees should be charged according to the location, financial and numerical strength of each school.

Meanwhile, counsel to the private school owners, Mr Ogbuka JMCC, said that under Nigerian law, private school owners are not to pay tax because schools fall under Section 18 of the Constitution, which stipulates Compulsory Free Education, but laments that the government of Enugu State in its quest for revenue generation is violating the constitutional provisions.

He maintains that “there is no levy or tax for private schools. Anything contrary is nullity.”

News

Wike gives final ultimatum to land owners to pay for C-of-O

Published

43 minutes ago

December 20, 2024

Austin Ojomah

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has given owners of the 762 plots of land in Maitama II District, Cadastral Zone, A10, Abuja, a fresh two-week ultimatum to pay for their Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) or risk final revocation of their allocations.

According to a statement on Friday, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the FCT Minister reiterated that the primary interest was not for people to lose their lands, but to get them to make necessary payments to the government.

The statement read: “It should be recalled that on October 5, 2024, list of 3,273 allottees/title holders that were yet to pay for their C-of-O were published. They were offered two weeks to pay their bills or lose their Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) titles. Out of the 3,273, a total of 2,511 complied, leaving 762.

Yesterday, notice of withdrawal of the R-of-O titles of the 762 defaulters was published.

“Since then, many of the affected allottees have offered to pay, and since the primary aim of the government is to ensure payment, a two weeks grace has been given.

“Consequently, the 762 allottees and the 614 others with outstanding payment on C-of-O will have till January 3, 2025 to pay, or have their R-of-O titles withdrawn, pursuant to the provisions of Section 28 of the Land Use Act of 1978.

After January 3, 2025, there will be no further extension and withdrawal of the R-of-O titles of defaulters will be final.”

News

Land Title:Speaker Abbas insists he’s not owing FCTA

Published

53 minutes ago

December 20, 2024

Austin Ojomah

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas has declared that he is not owing FCTA a dime as alleged in a section of the media.

The speaker who made this declaration via a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Musa Abdullahi Kirishi stated that:

“The attention of the Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, GCON, has been drawn to reports in both the print and electronic media to the effect that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) revoked land titles in the FCT, belonging to certain individuals, including the Speaker, due to non-settlement of outstanding payments.

“For the record, His Excellency, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, GCON, has only one land allocated to him in the FCT, and has since settled his outstanding payment in October 2024, following the FCTA’s newspapers’ publications to that effect.

“It is, therefore, an error for the FCTA to include his name among those having outstanding payments, leading to the revocation of the land titles. The FCTA is advised to be more circumspect in handling such issues.

The Speaker cautions the media to always verify their facts before going to press with such issues.

The media are, therefore, urged to desist from further publishing or spreading such misleading information about the person of the Speaker.

News

Army Council elevates 35 Brigadier Generals, 73 Colonels

Published

4 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Naijablitznews

The Army Council on Thursday approved the promotion of 35 Brigadier Generals and 73 colonels.

A statement by the Director Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu on Friday said the Brigadier Generals were promoted to the rank of Major General, while the colonels were promoted to Brigadier General accordingly.

Those promoted to the rank of Major General include, Brig Gen A Garba Acting Provost Marshal Nigerian Army, Brig Gen UM Alkali Deputy Chief of Administration, Directorate of Veteran Affairs (Army), Brig Gen AGL Haruna, Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander Sector 1 North East Operation HADIN KAI, Brig Gen IA Ajose Acting General Officer Commanding 8 Division and Commander Sector 2 North West Operation FANSAN YAMA, Brig General NB Ebulue Headquarters Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, Brig Gen LG Lepdung Commander Operation WHIRL STROKE, Brig Gen OA Awolo Director Military Training Nigerian Defence Academy, Brig Gen UG Ogeleka Commander Nigerian Army Space Command, Brig Gen OA Fadairo Commander 12 Brigade, Brig Gen OD Williams Commander 22 Brigade , Brig Gen JR Lar Commander 32 Brigade, Brig Gen AG Mahmuda Commandant Warrant Officer Academy, Brig Gen VD Beryo Commander Nigerian Army Special Forces School, Brig Gen AOD Okoro Director Army Headquarters Department of Special Services and Programmes, Brig Gen SO Adejimi Director Movement Army Headquarters Department of Army Logistics, Brig Gen TT Sidick Director of Finance Nigerian Defence Academy, Brig Gen MCE Ejike Commander Sector 2 Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI, Brig Gen MF Babayo Commander Sector 3 North East Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI, Brig Gen H Yanet Commander 51 Signal Brigade and Brig Gen MK Gara Army Headquarters Department of Training.

Also promoted to the rank of Major General are Brig Gen BP Koughna Deputy Chief of Military Affairs, Army Headquarters Department of Civil Military Affairs, Brig Gen I Otu Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, Brig Gen AO Adegbite Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport, Brig Gen IE Ekpeyong Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers, Brig Gen AA Idris Army Headquarters Department of Army Standards and Evaluation, Brig Gen SA Gumel Nigerian Army Resource Centre Strategic Management and Policy Studies, Brig Gen MT Jinadu Commander 82 Division Ordnance Services, Brig Gen SA Jimoh Deputy Director Tender Board Department of Procurement, and Brig Gen UT Opuene Deputy Director Policy and Plans Defence Intelligence Agency, among others.

Officers promoted from the rank of Colonel to Brigadier General are Col SM Iliya Commander 43 Engineers Brigade, Col O Igwe Commander 78 Supply and Transport, Col NE Udofia Headquarters Nigerian Army Electrical Mechanical Engineers, Col UR Okoroji Commander 404 Engineers Brigade, Col GS Oyinwola Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary, Col S Ahmadu Defence Intelligence Agency, Col CI Nwonyi Commander 81 Division Provost Group, Col AS Aliyu Commander 1 Division Military Intelligence, Col T Garba Commander 77 Supply and Transport Brigade, Col K Imam Commander Army Headquarters Garrison Ordinance Services, Col NS Onuchukwu Chief Medical Director 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Col A Musa Commander 108 Division Equipment Support, Col DM Baba Office of the National Security Adviser, Col OA Obochi Defence Headquarters, Col PAJ Ebuk Commander 1 Division Supply and Transport, Col IP Omoke Office of the COAS Directorate of Procurement and Col P Elayo Headquarers Department of Space Administration.

Others elevated to the rank of Brigadier General are Col NI Abdullahi Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Col JC Mbanefo Army War College Nigeria, Col IO Amah Department of Operations Defence Headquarters, Col M Jimoh Defence Headquarters Garrison, Col TA Ayoola Army Headquarters Department of Army Operations, Col SA Jimoh Office of the Chief of Army Staff Department of Procurement, Col OC Ameni 103 Division Equipment Support, Col OU Okwuosa 2 Division Medical Hospital and Services, Col AO Odubiyi Armed Forces Command and Staff College, and Col NE Udofia Headquarters Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, among others.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, while congratulating the newly promoted senior officers and their families, also charged them to redouble their efforts to justify their elevation and the confidence reposed in them.

He further tasked the newly promoted officers to lead their subordinates by example and evolve “out of the box” ideas and innovations to speedily tackle contemporary security challenges bedeviling the nation. He added that they must remain committed to their oath of allegiance to defend the nation at all times and maintain unalloyed loyalty to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.