Kano state government has the capacity to generate a monthly revenue of N12 billion if each of its estimated 12 million people is charged a flat monthly rate of One thousand Naira.
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who made the assertion during the launch of the state Presumptive Taxation for commercial vehicle operators, at the Government House in Kano, explained that “collecting a small amount from many people will definitely boost the coffers of the government”.
Emir Sanusi maintained that if Kano can generate as much as N12 billion monthly, it would not rely on funds from the Federation Account, asserting that for the state to remain afloat, it must look for sustainable options of earning more money.
He therefore enjoined people in the state to pay their taxes duly stressing that “Paying taxes is securing our pride. We are disparaged because we rely on oil money so we must explore alternative ways to sustain our states”.
The Emir, who assured that his Council would support the Ganduje administration in its revenue generation drive, advised the state government to ensure that owners of big landed property like residential structures at Nassarawa GRA, in the state capital, pay ground rent properly to enable the government provide services for the poor.
In his remarks, the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, explained that the presumptive tax for commercial vehicles buses, Trucks, Mini trucks, assorted tankers, Luxury buses, Tippers, Trailer, taxis and tricycles.
“The taxes we are going to collect will help us to ensure that the roads you travel are free from potholes and will enable us build more roads, so that you can have the enabling environment to do business at ease”, he asserted.
Dr. Ganduje also said the money collected would be used to provide more public utilities such as schools, health facilities, roads and to fund many pro poor programmes.
“We are paying salaries but that is not enough. We have to provide other services that would make living condition in Kano much better”, he pointed out, capital-intensive projects being provided by the government are funded with tax payers’ money.
Consequently, the governor appealed to transport associations in the state to cooperate with the government to strengthen its revenue base, for enhanced development.
Earlier, the chairman of the state Internal Revenue Service, Sani AbdulQadir Dembo explained that the agency decided to carry out Presumptive Income Tax Assessment of transport related businesses as one of the strategies for creating a tax system that encourages compliance with the provisions of the state tax laws.
