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The Enugu State Internal Revenue Service has announced the enforcement of payment of land use charges on 800,000 houses in the state, including ancestral homes in various communities.
The Chairman of the service, Mr Ekene Nnamani, who disclosed this on Wednesday at a press briefing, said the enforcement would start from June 1, 2024.
He said the drive was part of the effort to realise its N20bn revenue target from land use charges in 2024, adding that land and property taxes were the mainstays of the government’s internally generated revenue.
According to Nnamani, the plan is also aimed at boosting the state’s internally generated revenue in line with Governor Peter Mbah-led government’s disruptive innovation agenda, designed to transform the state.
He stated that the government had automated the Land Use Act charges as part of efforts to meet its target.
“Enugu State Government has automated land use charge in the state. Through the Geographic Information System, we have been able to identify 800,000 properties in the state.
“Every property owner in both the metropolis and villages is required to pay land use charges to enable the government to carry out its developmental plans for the citizens. These fees are dependent on the value of the land and where it is located. It ranges from as low as N15,000 to N300,000,” he noted.He said that even owners of ancestral homes were required to pay land use charges, explaining that those in the rural areas were also benefitting from dividends of democracy, such as schools, healthcare services and other social amenities.
He added, “The charges are in different categories, and are charged per plot of land. The houses occupying two plots of land will pay for two plots.
“So, in line with the disruptive innovation promise of Governor Peter Mbah, the service has been able to use the GIS to identify property in the state. Land Use law of 2016 says that every property owner in the state must pay charges and it is paid to the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service.”
The chairman urged the residents to cooperate with the service by doing the needful, to avoid sanctions.
He claimed that no responsible government could realise its transformational dream for the people without the citizenry playing its part, such as the obligation of tax payment.