Why we’re charging bakers for each loaf of bread — Kogi Govt

The levies on bread loaves and confectionaries in Kogi State are
not new taxes, the state government has said.

The government on Friday said that bakeries in the state had
been paying the levies in compliance with the state government’s
revenue law.

It said the levies were part of its strategies to protest local
bakers and the state’s economy.

But in a statement on Friday, the state’s commissioner for
information and communications, Kingsley Fanwo, said the levies are
not new and that the engagement of a firm to collect them was one
of its strategies for protecting its indigenous bakers.

Mr Fanwo said the state’s indigenous bakers had complained of
poor sales due to bakers who pay no tax to the state bringing bread
from outside the state to sell in Kogi.

The full statement

We have seen and read news reports about a letter from a
consultant engaged by the Kogi State Government to collect bakery
levies.

Let us place on record that the levies are not new. Indigenous
bakeries have been paying all their levies to the State Government
in compliance to our revenue law.

The recent letter was one of our strategies at protecting our
Indigenous bakers and also protect our economy from the activities
of bakers outside the State who bring their bread to the State
without paying any form of levy.

No responsible Government will sit by and watch her indigenous
businesses lose the local market.

Our indigenous bakers have complained bitterly about the
activities of external bakers who packed their bread to the State
in trucks and sell without paying anything to the State
Government.

Poor sales by our bakers may lead to job losses, a situation we
are determined to use legitimate means to avert.

As a Government, we have put in place tax relief measures to
protect businesses from the unfortunate fangs of the Covid-19
pandemic. We are not insensitive to the plight of business owners
at this critical period.

Relevant Ministries, Agencies, and Parastatals shall continue to
engage business owners to ensure Government policies are tailored
towards improving business health and wealth.

We assure the Master Bakers of our open door policy and our
readiness to keep listening to them in order to smoothen
relationships and factors aiding their production as bread
consumers have nothing to fear.

The present administration in the State has, through her
policies, oversees a steady increase in the number of businesses.
We work for the people, with the people and will continue to listen
to all interests.

Kingsley Femi Fanwo
Commissioner for Information and Communications
13/11/2020

The levies on bread loaves and confectionaries in Kogi State are
not new taxes, the state government has said.

The government on Friday said that bakeries in the state had
been paying the levies in compliance with the state government’s
revenue law.

It said the levies were part of its strategies to protest local
bakers and the state’s economy.

But in a statement on Friday, the state’s commissioner for
information and communications, Kingsley Fanwo, said the levies are
not new and that the engagement of a firm to collect them was one
of its strategies for protecting its indigenous bakers.

Mr Fanwo said the state’s indigenous bakers had complained of
poor sales due to bakers who pay no tax to the state bringing bread
from outside the state to sell in Kogi.

The full statement

We have seen and read news reports about a letter from a
consultant engaged by the Kogi State Government to collect bakery
levies.

Let us place on record that the levies are not new. Indigenous
bakeries have been paying all their levies to the State Government
in compliance to our revenue law.

The recent letter was one of our strategies at protecting our
Indigenous bakers and also protect our economy from the activities
of bakers outside the State who bring their bread to the State
without paying any form of levy.

No responsible Government will sit by and watch her indigenous
businesses lose the local market.

Our indigenous bakers have complained bitterly about the
activities of external bakers who packed their bread to the State
in trucks and sell without paying anything to the State
Government.

Poor sales by our bakers may lead to job losses, a situation we
are determined to use legitimate means to avert.

As a Government, we have put in place tax relief measures to
protect businesses from the unfortunate fangs of the Covid-19
pandemic. We are not insensitive to the plight of business owners
at this critical period.

Relevant Ministries, Agencies, and Parastatals shall continue to
engage business owners to ensure Government policies are tailored
towards improving business health and wealth.

We assure the Master Bakers of our open door policy and our
readiness to keep listening to them in order to smoothen
relationships and factors aiding their production as bread
consumers have nothing to fear.

The present administration in the State has, through her
policies, oversees a steady increase in the number of businesses.
We work for the people, with the people and will continue to listen
to all interests.

Kingsley Femi Fanwo
Commissioner for Information and Communications
13/11/2020