TELL Magazine

Property owners in Delta State would soon start paying taxes on their choice properties as the government moves to introduce property tax in urban areas. This is part of measures by the state government to boost its revenue base. Charles Aniagwu, the state commissioner for information who announced this on Tuesday, said this was part of decisions reached at the seventh virtual Executive Council (EXCO) meeting attended by 47 members and presided over by the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.

In a post-EXCO briefing, Aniagwu said the state government would embark on enumeration exercise with a view to determining properties that would attract tax. According to him, tax income that would be generated from the property tax would help the state government to execute projects that would positively impact on the socio-economic lives of residents of the state.

The Commissioner also disclosed that EXCO gave approval for a number of road projects to be executed in the state in its determination to deepen the Stronger Delta Agenda of the state government. He listed the roads to include Okwatata Street in Uvwie and its adjoining streets, Aliohen Road, Ute-Okpu in Ika North East Local Government and remedial works on Udu Bridge in Udu Local Government Area of the state.

According to Aniagwu, “A number of issues relating to the improvement of the economy of the state at a time like this were brought forward, considered and approved by the state Executive Council. There were some other issues that border on social aspect of the society such as the approval of some amendment of certain laws that regulate the appointment of traditional rulers in some communities.

To improve the economy of the state, the commissioner said that the government is to access a N10 billion naira credit facility from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for agricultural productivity which would attract a single digit interest rate. He explained that the repayment of the CBN facility would be shouldered by the state government and two private sector investors, stressing that the state government needed 2,507 hectares of land to go into large scale cassava production.

To make potable water available to Deltans, the Commissioner said the state government would collaborate with the federal government in the execution of water projects in the three senatorial districts under the P-WASH programme whereby it (the state government) would provide the sum of N295 million as its counterpart fund.

The Commissioner also disclosed that the state EXCO approved the appointment of Obi Solomon Ezechiyelugo as the traditional ruler of Ashama community in Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state, while it equally ratified the position of Odiologbo of Oyede to Ovie of Oyede in Isoko North Local Government Area.

The governor directed at the virtual meeting, all Commissioners to embark on inspection of all ongoing projects in their various ministries to ensure that projects were executed in line with contractual agreement.