By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
A group, Task Justice and Governance Platform (TJ&GP), Kaduna State chapter has launched the use of theatre for development in educating business owners and other citizens on the importance of tax payment in the state.
The strategy which is aimed at promoting voluntary tax compliance geared at boosting Internally Generated Revenue, was launched at Makarfi market in Makarfi Local Government Area, on Wednesday, organized in collaboration with the State Internal Revenue Services (KADIRS).
Speaking during the flag-off, Simeon Olatunde, Coordinator of the network, said the campaign would be carried out in markets and business premises in the 23 LGAs across the state.
According to him, “we want to cover the entire 23 local government areas, particularly the major markets in the State, but we are starting in Makarfi, kudan, Giwa, Soba and other LGAs, and we will continue in other Senatorial zones.”
“We really want to dive into the communities to make them aware and empower them on their roles in participating in governance. Social contract has two sides; the community which are the people and the government.
“For the system to work smoothly, both the people and the government must work together to make sure things work out; the people will contribute and the government will play it’s role.
“Apart from the contribution which is the obligation of the people, task payment is paramount. So we want to encourage them to pay their task on time. By doing so, they make resources available for the government so as to provide amenities for them.
“For instance a lot of things are not in shape in the Makarfi Market. But with their task payment it will give them the power on the demand of shops construction, good road network, security. The government will be obliged to provide these social amenities for them after they have paid their task.” Olatunde explained.
Speaking on behalf of the market community, Vice Chairman of the Market Union, Suleiman Magaji, lament that despite the level of tax compliance by traders in the market and the importance of the market in the zone, the state government has refused to bring in development to the market.
Suleiman, said as big as the market is, they have only one toilet which is not even located in the market.
“There’s no water here, no toilet, no roads inside the market and the only toilet we have here is very far away from the market, you have to go very far and that’s what everyone that visit this market is using.
“Government is not doing anything for us, yet they come here every time to collect revenue from us. They really need to give this market attention to attract more revenue.
“People will be encouraged to pay tax here if they have access to toilets and water running with enough space to park their vehicles, especially those bringing goods into the market.
“So we are appealing to the state government to do something about it because traders in this market are really suffering. He pleaded.
On his part, Ahmed Abdullahi, who works as a tax collector for the union, noted that taxes are legal and civic obligations of citizens, and paying it enables one to be a contributor to national development.
He commended the Network for organising the sensitization describing it as the best thing that has happened to the market in recent times because it will ease his job following the way people responded to the drama.
A short play that demonstrated how communities are benefiting from taxes and the need for people to comply to tax payment was performed by a theatre group.
