BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU
President of 9th Mile Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (9ccima) Ozo Leonard Ugwu (LCK fnis, fimc) Ugwu has commended Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State on tax policy, saying with optimism that the revenue realised will be used judiciously.
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Ugwu also called for permanent office building of the chamber at 9th Mile Corner, reiterating that the City Chamber as an industrial hub is set to redefine the economy of the state.
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The 9CCIMA President made the call while speaking at the 9th Mile Business Community Interactive Forum with Enugu State Government on Tax Matters held at Amaeke, Ngwo Civic Centre on Thursday.
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The Forum whose theme was titled: ” Building Synergy in Achieving Enugu State Development through Tax Policies & Administration, Government and Business Community Roles”, was chaired by Chief Okenna Agubuzo, a legal practitioner and Legal Adviser to 9CCIMA.
Surv. Ugwu said that the Chamber would open up businesses in the State as 9th Mile is a gateway to the southeast geo-political zone.
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According to him, “The 9th Mile will be an industrial park where there would be a pool of graduates that would be trained in anti-ICT crime, adding that they would partner with Enugu State Government with a view to adding value to the system.
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Surveyor Ugwu further said, “The 9th Mile Chamber will partner with industrialists and entrepreneurs in Enugu West Senatorial Zone to bolster sustainable economic growth in the area.
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However, Ugwu decried the looming epidemic due to environmental polution at Ugwu Onyeama along Enugu/9th Miles, pointing that part of the Expressway has become a dumping ground for debris.
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He called for urgent attention of the authorities to save the residents of the area from health problems, adding, “The chamber cardinal objective is to promote entrepreneurs and businesses in the zone in particular, the state, and the country at large through support.”
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“Today, we have three City Chambers in Enugu State namely; 9th Mile Chamber, Nsukka Chamber and just lately we have Awgu Chamber. But of all these, we believe that 9th Mile Chamber that is purposely serves what it takes to have it, just because by nature, 9th Mile is positioned to be Gateway to the entire Southeast Zone in terms of commerce and industry. And that takes us to why free trade zone was created within 9th Mile.
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“It was commissioned in 2022, so 9th Mile Chamber of Commerce is blessed naturally and infrastructurally. Naturally, it is blessed by a water basin that cannot be equalled to any water in West Africa. This is why all the beverage industries are rushing to be at 9th Mile.
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“You can name them: the Nigerian Breweries, the Coca Cola, just that they have closed their administrative blocks at 9th Mile but their factory is there. The 7up and all other water bottle water like the Mbaka and co, from Ugwu Onyeama down to 9th Mile, you cannot count the number of water industries that have come to be.
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“You think of other infrastructure development, you think of access roads. It goes to the North, it goes to the East into Enugu. It goes to the South West and to the South-South and that is why it is called ‘Gateway’ to the Southeast.
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“With the coming of 9th Mile Chamber, we have come to harness all these private sector-government inter-relationships to have ease of doing business.
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“We ask for more infrastructure to open up other centres like Ezeagu local government, Udi North, Udi South areas that link to Oji River. When these places are opened up, we will know when 9th Mile envelopes every other communities around.
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Also speaking, the Executive Chairman, Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) Emmanuel Ekene Nnamani represented by his Personal Assistant on Tax Matters, Simon Njoku, told the participants that there is need for the people of the state to coopetate with the state government on the tax policy for development of the state.
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He spoke extensively on Personal Income Tax which included Pay As You Earn ( PAYE), Direct Assessment, Road taxes and Business premises.
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He took the audience down the line on the current taxation, sensitizing them on various forms of taxes in the state.
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Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the event, Chief Agubuzo reminded the participants that payment of tax to government is a civic responsibility, urging every citizen that has come of age to exercise his/her civic duty by paying tax promptly while government should also reciprocate by providing social amenities to the people.
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The 7-man panellist that anchored the interactive session were: Ndubuisi Enechi Onyia (Council member and MD/CEO Ejindu MFB, Vincent Ogakwu ( Council member and MD Water Rock Industries), Dame Oyibo Agu (Mni Fmr Director/Branch Controller, CBN), Egr. Ambrose Iyiama (Council member and MD Crossland Nig Ltd), Mbalagu Chikwado Director Informal Sector ESIRS), Barrister Ugochukwu Nnam representing Head Legal Unit ESIRS, Ngozi Ndukwe Head Marketing Unit, ESIRS.
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