- Govt debunks outrageous amounts in
circulation - Extends period for discounted payment invoice to April
14 - NBA gives Ambode seven-day ultimatum to reverse new
charge
The Lagos State House Assembly wednesday admitted that it
inserted Alpha Beta in the Land Use Charge (LUC) Law, 2018 in
error, noting that the process of the new legislation “is not
complete until the state government properly gazettes it.”
Specifically, the state government debunked the figures
circulating in the media on the rate for the new law, noting that
many of the numbers were based on several years of arrears on
unpaid levies by affected property owners
The Chairman of Assembly Committee on Information, Hon. Tunde
Braimoh, and State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr.
Kehinde Bamigbetan, made this clarification at separate sessions
with journalists wednesday.
Under the Rules Governing the Distribution of the Lagos State
Land Use Charge, the law states: “Alpha Beta or any other
designated person(s) or corporate body, which has the
responsibility of monitoring the revenues of the state through the
collecting banks shall provide a report to the Accountant-General
of the state.”
But in reaction wednesday, Braimoh agreed that Alpha Beta was
mentioned in error, noting that the process of promulgating the new
law “is not complete until gazetting when the official copy will be
available and the law properly cited.”
Braimoh, therefore, assured the state that the correct position
“will be reflected before the law is gazetted. The process of
gazetting itself is being expedited in view of these issues.”
At a news conference he addressed at the Bagauda Kaltho Centre,
Alausa, he said there was so many misconception and misinformation
about the new law.
He explained that the law “is a progressive enactment duly made
by the House of Assembly and handed over to the executive for
implementation in the overall interest of the people.”
Braimoh, specifically dismissed the humongous figures being
bandied about on the social media, saying many of the calculations
were based on arrears of many years of non-payment.
Bamigbetan explained that the law took a long process to be
made, noting that it “was initiated as a bill. The bill passed went
through the first reading, second reading, public hearing to which
all stakeholders were brought together to debate it.
“Some concessions we have seen were part of the debate expressed
by the stakeholders about the need to protect the vulnerable
segment of the society. Having made the law, the House of Assembly
has handed it over to the executive to implement.
“The second important part is that a lot of relieves have been
built into the law but many people are confusing arrears with the
actual figure. If you see those figures, ask whether it is for one
year or arrears of several years of non-payment.
“The humongous figures that are being bandied around
particularly in the social media relate to the arrears of many
years of non-payment which are computed together.”
Ashade said the state government has extended the period for tax
payers to enjoy the 15 per cent discount in the reviewed Land Use
Charge Law to April 14 in order to enable the implementation and
enforcement of the new law, as well as allow many property owners
to benefit from the discount.
Under the old law, Ashade said the Land Use Charge rate was
totally inaccurate and retrogressive and was depriving the state of
keeping track of all economic activities that relate to land in
Lagos State.
He said the law, which was reviewed by the state House of
Assembly and signed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on February 8 is a
merger of all property and land based rates and charges in the
state.
Ashade? said: “There was an urgent need for the repeal, as the
old law had not been reviewed for over 15 years, since 2001. Under
the old law, the LUC rate was totally inaccurate and retrogressive
which deprived the State of keeping track of all economic
activities that relate to land in Lagos State.
“The new law is a consolidation of ground rent, tenement rate,
and neighbourhood improvement levy. This charge is payable annually
in respect of all real estate properties in the State, which means
owners and occupiers holding a lease to a property for ten years or
more are now liable to pay the annual LUC invoice charged.”
Meanwhile, the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association
(NBA) yesterday gave Ambode, a seven-day ultimatum to immediately
reverse the new land use charge recently announced by his
government or face a mass street protest next week Monday.
The NBA Chairman, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, made this known
yesterday at a press conference held at the secretariat of the
association in Ikeja.
In his speech titled: ‘Hell Tax Must Go’, Ogunlana said it was
clear that if these regimes of tax are allowed, the state would be
turned into a “toxic environment and a living hell for
Lagosians.”
The NBA chairman said the state government cannot hide under
“developing Lagos into a Mega Smart City” to kill Lagosians with
Pharaoic taxes.”
He said the increase the Land Use Charge would have an adverse
effect on all other services and functions in the state as owners
of properties and services would automatically transfer other
financial burdens to their customers who would have to bear the
burden or crumble.
Ogunlana explained that it was absurd that the governor is
seeking dialogue after its government had deliberately and
selfishly created the situation in the first instance.
According to him, “We think it is highly absurd for the governor
to be seeking dialogue over the issue of the hellish tax regimes
after his government deliberately and selfishly created the
situation in the first instance.”
He added: “Consultation ought to come before legislation and not
the other way round. Our respectful and sober view is that the
government of the state has lost sync with the difficult and harsh
realities of life of the people of the state and has taken their
support and goodwill for his government for granted.
“Ambode should not let the people regret voting for him the
first time and go on to reject him for a second term.
“Few weeks ago, Lagosian woke up to learn about the hyper-inflated
rate of the so called ‘Land Use Charge’ which the governor of Lagos
State has escalated upwards to 400 per cent.
“Recently, one of our colleagues who regularly pay the sum of
N140,000 as LUC for office building received a notice of the LUC
demand, he is now to pay N2million.
“If these tax rates are allowed, Lagos State would be turned
into a ‘toxic environment and a living hell’ for Lagosians.”
Ogunlana therefore demanded a scrapping of the move by the state
government of its new tax regime to turn the state into a hell.
“Life will become not only too expensive but volatile and
dangerous.
“The state government cannot hide under “developing Lagos into a
Mega Smart City to kill Lagosians with Pharaoic taxes.
“If by March 12, 2018, the state government refuses to suspend
or jettison the new land use charge rates, car registration fees,
litigation fees, NBA Ikeja branch shall conduct a ‘Walk the Talk
Protest’ in Lagos as phase two of the struggle against the
‘economic genocide the Lagos State Government is waging against
Lagosians,” Ogunlana added.
- Govt debunks outrageous amounts in
circulation - Extends period for discounted payment invoice to April
14 - NBA gives Ambode seven-day ultimatum to reverse new
charge
The Lagos State House Assembly wednesday admitted that it
inserted Alpha Beta in the Land Use Charge (LUC) Law, 2018 in
error, noting that the process of the new legislation “is not
complete until the state government properly gazettes it.”
Specifically, the state government debunked the figures
circulating in the media on the rate for the new law, noting that
many of the numbers were based on several years of arrears on
unpaid levies by affected property owners
The Chairman of Assembly Committee on Information, Hon. Tunde
Braimoh, and State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr.
Kehinde Bamigbetan, made this clarification at separate sessions
with journalists wednesday.
Under the Rules Governing the Distribution of the Lagos State
Land Use Charge, the law states: “Alpha Beta or any other
designated person(s) or corporate body, which has the
responsibility of monitoring the revenues of the state through the
collecting banks shall provide a report to the Accountant-General
of the state.”
But in reaction wednesday, Braimoh agreed that Alpha Beta was
mentioned in error, noting that the process of promulgating the new
law “is not complete until gazetting when the official copy will be
available and the law properly cited.”
Braimoh, therefore, assured the state that the correct position
“will be reflected before the law is gazetted. The process of
gazetting itself is being expedited in view of these issues.”
At a news conference he addressed at the Bagauda Kaltho Centre,
Alausa, he said there was so many misconception and misinformation
about the new law.
He explained that the law “is a progressive enactment duly made
by the House of Assembly and handed over to the executive for
implementation in the overall interest of the people.”
Braimoh, specifically dismissed the humongous figures being
bandied about on the social media, saying many of the calculations
were based on arrears of many years of non-payment.
Bamigbetan explained that the law took a long process to be
made, noting that it “was initiated as a bill. The bill passed went
through the first reading, second reading, public hearing to which
all stakeholders were brought together to debate it.
“Some concessions we have seen were part of the debate expressed
by the stakeholders about the need to protect the vulnerable
segment of the society. Having made the law, the House of Assembly
has handed it over to the executive to implement.
“The second important part is that a lot of relieves have been
built into the law but many people are confusing arrears with the
actual figure. If you see those figures, ask whether it is for one
year or arrears of several years of non-payment.
“The humongous figures that are being bandied around
particularly in the social media relate to the arrears of many
years of non-payment which are computed together.”
Ashade said the state government has extended the period for tax
payers to enjoy the 15 per cent discount in the reviewed Land Use
Charge Law to April 14 in order to enable the implementation and
enforcement of the new law, as well as allow many property owners
to benefit from the discount.
Under the old law, Ashade said the Land Use Charge rate was
totally inaccurate and retrogressive and was depriving the state of
keeping track of all economic activities that relate to land in
Lagos State.
He said the law, which was reviewed by the state House of
Assembly and signed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on February 8 is a
merger of all property and land based rates and charges in the
state.
Ashade? said: “There was an urgent need for the repeal, as the
old law had not been reviewed for over 15 years, since 2001. Under
the old law, the LUC rate was totally inaccurate and retrogressive
which deprived the State of keeping track of all economic
activities that relate to land in Lagos State.
“The new law is a consolidation of ground rent, tenement rate,
and neighbourhood improvement levy. This charge is payable annually
in respect of all real estate properties in the State, which means
owners and occupiers holding a lease to a property for ten years or
more are now liable to pay the annual LUC invoice charged.”
Meanwhile, the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association
(NBA) yesterday gave Ambode, a seven-day ultimatum to immediately
reverse the new land use charge recently announced by his
government or face a mass street protest next week Monday.
The NBA Chairman, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, made this known
yesterday at a press conference held at the secretariat of the
association in Ikeja.
In his speech titled: ‘Hell Tax Must Go’, Ogunlana said it was
clear that if these regimes of tax are allowed, the state would be
turned into a “toxic environment and a living hell for
Lagosians.”
The NBA chairman said the state government cannot hide under
“developing Lagos into a Mega Smart City” to kill Lagosians with
Pharaoic taxes.”
He said the increase the Land Use Charge would have an adverse
effect on all other services and functions in the state as owners
of properties and services would automatically transfer other
financial burdens to their customers who would have to bear the
burden or crumble.
Ogunlana explained that it was absurd that the governor is
seeking dialogue after its government had deliberately and
selfishly created the situation in the first instance.
According to him, “We think it is highly absurd for the governor
to be seeking dialogue over the issue of the hellish tax regimes
after his government deliberately and selfishly created the
situation in the first instance.”
He added: “Consultation ought to come before legislation and not
the other way round. Our respectful and sober view is that the
government of the state has lost sync with the difficult and harsh
realities of life of the people of the state and has taken their
support and goodwill for his government for granted.
“Ambode should not let the people regret voting for him the
first time and go on to reject him for a second term.
“Few weeks ago, Lagosian woke up to learn about the hyper-inflated
rate of the so called ‘Land Use Charge’ which the governor of Lagos
State has escalated upwards to 400 per cent.
“Recently, one of our colleagues who regularly pay the sum of
N140,000 as LUC for office building received a notice of the LUC
demand, he is now to pay N2million.
“If these tax rates are allowed, Lagos State would be turned
into a ‘toxic environment and a living hell’ for Lagosians.”
Ogunlana therefore demanded a scrapping of the move by the state
government of its new tax regime to turn the state into a hell.
“Life will become not only too expensive but volatile and
dangerous.
“The state government cannot hide under “developing Lagos into a
Mega Smart City to kill Lagosians with Pharaoic taxes.
“If by March 12, 2018, the state government refuses to suspend
or jettison the new land use charge rates, car registration fees,
litigation fees, NBA Ikeja branch shall conduct a ‘Walk the Talk
Protest’ in Lagos as phase two of the struggle against the
‘economic genocide the Lagos State Government is waging against
Lagosians,” Ogunlana added.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/land-use-charge-lagos-assembly-admits-inserting-alpha-beta-in-error/