A Civil Society group, Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN) has described the Akwa Ibom Taxes Bill, otherwise known as the Property Bill, as anti-people, draconian, monstrous, and oppressive.
The group also says it opposed the Bill titled “A Bill for a law to Harmonise and Consolidate the Legal Frameworks relating to Taxes in Akwa Ibom State and for other Matters Connected therein” at a public hearing on Feb. 4 at Luton Park Hotel.
The group made its position known at an interactive session with members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council, through the Executive Director, CHRAN, Mr Franklyn Isong.
It said that its position followed a critical scrutiny of the bill, adding that if allowed to be passed into law, it would further impoverish the people of the state.
The group also recalled that a similar bill was rejected in 2016 during the administration of Gov. Udom Emmanuel.
The group, therefore, tasked members of the State House of Assembly to cast their names in the annals of history by standing down further consideration of the Bill.
He said, “CHRAN rejects the Bill in its entirety and calls on the members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, which prides itself as the people’s assembly, to rise in support of the citizens, and include their names in the annals of history by standing down further consideration of the Bill.
“There are no better definitions of the words draconian, anti-people, oppressive, monstrous, and obnoxious than the provisions of this Bill, which seeks to punish poverty and further impoverish the already deprived citizens of Akwa Ibom State.
“CHRAN recalls that a similar Bill was presented to the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in 2016, and was outrightly rejected by the people of the state.”
Isong also labelled the bill a ‘witchcraft bill’ for ‘its destructive tendencies’.
According to him, the bill also has some strangulating characteristics that can shut down the private sector economy in Akwa Ibom State if allowed to pass.
Isong, who also analysed some sections and provisions of the bill and their implications for the people of the state, added that the bill negated the campaign mantra of the ARISE Agenda which portrayed Gov. Umo Eno as a friend and a lover of the poor in the society.
“In sections 16 and 19 of the Bill, the CHRAN notes that the Bill seeks to make tenancy life become a life of hardship and misery as any tax(es) imposed on Real Property owners and landlords will be transferred to the tenants in the state. In section 21(2) of the Bill, the Center notes that the Bill seeks to promote absentee landlords by transferring the liability of the landlords to the occupier(s) of the property without even masking to be anti-people.
“The CHRAN observes that the Bill does not distinguish between houses in urban cities and houses in rural communities. Even houses occupied by the poorest of the poor in society, including occupants of mud houses, will be taxed in line with sections 16 and 19 of the Bill.
“The Bill is very strict and only interested in collecting revenue for the government without any room for relief in favour of the citizens. This completely negates the campaign mantra of the ARISE Agenda, which portrays the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, as a friend and a lover of the poor in the society,” he said.
Isong noted that certain terms invented by the Bill were “dangerous no no no#no and calculated to emasculate Akwa Ibom citizens and create dubious ambiguity.”
According to him, the word “ENFORCEMENT” as used in the context of section 28 (2) of the Bill is capable of many dubious interpretations including meaning seizures of people’s property.
He called on the state governor to refuse assent to such a bill if passed into law by sponsors.
By Dianabasi Effiong
