Odita Sunday 
Anambra Information Ministry, partners AIRS on tax education to support mega projects
By Our Reporter
The Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, has observed that the proposed partnership between his Ministry and Anambra Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) on tax education and compliance would secure an impactful mileage on transformation of the State.
Mefor who made this known while addressing the AIRS team led by it’s Chairman, Ikeazor Nnaemeka Okonkwo, assured the Ministry would strengthen AIRS through public education on tax compliance and enforcement. “We have come so that we strengthen you and assure you of partnership… It has become very necessary, given the fact that I know people don’t like paying taxes. So what do we do? Instead of enforcing it, we should11 first talk to them and add “persuasion”, then enforcement.
The commissioner noted that many Anambra residents, especially in rural and informal sectors, lack adequate knowledge of taxation.
“To be fair to our people, they have not been educated enough on the issues of tax… Many of them, particularly those you find in the informal sector, have quite a small economy. So whatever they take out of it, even N100 means a lot to them. They have to be taught why their tax, no matter how small, is important—helping the solution governor to deliver on the major projects and policies that will turn Anambra into one smart megacity.”
Dr Mefor linked tax compliance to Governor Charles Soludo’s massive projects like the five dual carriageways, new general hospitals, free education and healthcare, and five new cities, among others.
“When you see the level, the magnitude of work being done by the Solution Governor… you will see that indeed the money is needed… Anambra is not really a rich state. The fact that Soludo is doing so much with so little is born out of his intentional and transformational leadership and extremely prudent economic management.”
The Commissikner proposed a “full-blown media campaign” to educate citizens, with a joint team of ministry and AIRS staff to drive it. Dr Mefor also offered AIRS the platform of his flagship radio program, ‘Ask The Commissioner’, for direct engagement with the people of Anambra on tax issues.
Responding, the AIRS Okonkwo welcomed the collaboration, adding:
“We welcome this development and this understanding that we hope to create… Trying to get the citizens to comply is a two-pronged approach.”
He, however, clarified that AIRS is not introducing new taxes or increasing rates but implementing existing laws, including the Nigerian Tax Act 2025.
“For us to get the kind of money that is required to build these building blocks that Mr Governor has excellently put together, people need to pay their taxes.”. MEANWHILE, Anambra State Executive Council in it’s second meeting since the second-term Inception of governor Chukwuma Soludo in office, took significant decisions, including mandate on companies to produce tax worthiness, developing policy for mass housing scheme and awards of projects.
The Commissioner stated that the Council decried the housing deficits in the State In a press release in Awka, a copy of which was made available to newsmen after the meeting, Mefor observed that the Council resolved to tackle the supply side to address the twin issues of rising house rents and the private sector’s partnership with the government to ensure sufficient housing in the state.
According to him, companies bidding for projects must show proof of tax worthiness as a requisite to qualify to participate in a bid process for contract in the State.
Mefor said: ‘The Council insisted that tax worthiness be part of the pre-qualifications before any company can, henceforth, participate in bidding for projects in the state. This will further ensure that the state fully benefits from companies doing projects in the state as responsible corporate partners.”
Furthermore, Mefor disclosed that the Council approved the allocation of the sum of N801,674,399.75 (eight hundred and one million, six hundred and seventy-four thousand, three hundred and ninety-nine naira, seventy-five kobo only) for the construction of a floodwater diversion channel at Ezioko, Oko-Nanka, Orumba North LGA, awarded to Lebtech Construction Ltd.
Equally, the sum of sum of N279,488,986.35 (two hundred and seventy-nine million, four hundred and eighty-eight thousand, nine hundred and eighty-six naira, thirty-five kobo only) was provuded for the supply and installation of new medical equipment and accessories at the General Hospital, Oroma Etiti, was awarded to Calyzid Ventures.
Moreover, the sum of N92,693,289.65 (ninety-two million, six hundred and ninety-three thousand, two hundred and eighty-nine naira, sixty-five kobo) for the construction of general external works/landscaping at the Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe (NOCEN), awarded to Ozoh United Ventures Nig. Ltd.
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