The controversial new hike in Land Use Charge in Lagos State has got even more heat from Lagosians after it was discovered that the new Land Use Charge Bill includes the name of a private firm to manage the collection of the charge.
The private tax consulting firm, Alpha Beta, has been helping the state government collect taxes since Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s administration in the state.
The clause states, “Alpha Beta or any other designated person(s) or corporate body who has the responsibility of monitoring the incoming revenue of the State through the collecting banks, shall provide a report to the Accountant-General of the State.”
The inclusion of Alpha Beta in the draft copy of the bill got Lagosians enraged on social media on Wednesday morning, with many of them questioning why a private firm is being mentioned in a state law.
Many Lagosians also demanded to know the real owners of Alpha Beta, after further allegations emerged that it could have become a conduit pipe of siphoning funds from the state treasury for All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in the state.
However, the Lagos State House of Assembly has described the inclusion of Alpha Beta’s name in the draft bill as a “mistake”.
The spokesperson of the House, Hon. Tunde Braimoh, said that the inclusion was done in error and the company’s name would be expunged from the final draft of the bill to be presented to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for assent.