NAN-H-37
Agenda
By Sunday John
Lafia, Nov. 30, 2016 (NAN) The coalition of Business and Professional Associations (NACOBPA) in Nasarawa state, has unveiled its business agenda for the people of the state.
The chairperson of the coalition, Mrs Joana Bello, said on Wednesday in Lafia that the agenda was aimed at pursuing policies that would encourage the growth of business in the state.
She said that the group had identified certain factors militating against the growth and development of business in the state.
She said the agenda was the `modest’ contribution by NACOBPA to fast-track economic development and provide business opportunities to the people of the state.
Bello said the group hired the services of a consultant who carried out a survey in five local government areas of the state for the purpose of setting the agenda for the state.
“The survey which was carried out in Lafia, Nassarawa-Eggon, Akwanga, Keffi and Karu LGAs, were interpreted, analysed and came up with the challenges confronting the business sector
“Some of the problems includes; multiple taxation, lack of land titles, attacks on business premises by criminals, poor sanitary habit, difficult access to loan facilities, unfriendly government policies among others,” she added.
Bello urged the government to restructure the board of internal revenue and rename it State Internal Revenue Service (SIRS) with full autonomy as practiced in states like Lagos, Kaduna, Rivers among others.
“If the board is restructured and given the autonomy to collect revenue in the state, it will give room for transparency and help it get technical support from foreign partners,’’ she said.
She added that all taxes collected in the state should be harmonised and collected by the SIRS to address the problem of multiple taxation.
According to her, creating a business friendly environment through good policies will attract investors to the state and boost economic activities.
She also urged the government to improve security in the state to protect businesses and attract people into doing business.
Bala Moskolo, the chairman, House of Assembly committee on Commerce, promised that the legislature would enact business friendly laws.
“We will do everything possible to protect businesses by making laws friendly to business people and make efforts to curtail multiple tax collection,” he promised. (NAN)
SDJ/EAL/AEA
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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi/Archibong Asuquo