Stop Taxing Schools, Obi Tells States, FG

A former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi has called on government at the federal, state and local levels to stop all forms of taxations and levies on voluntary agencies and privately-owned primary and secondary schools across the country that render services for the common good.

He made the call during his visit to Christ the King College (CKC) Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, which is the best school in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in 2017.

Obi, who noted that education is a foundation and most critical component of development in any society, called on government at all levels to pursue progress and development anchored on education since the level of growth among nations is directly proportional to their investment in education. He said one of the major problems facing Nigeria is the low level of educational penetration in some states.

Making a case for free basic education, he said “since Nigeria is a signatory to free Universal Basic Education and claims that education at basic level is free, it should give support to all institutions providing basic education, irrespective of ownership as is obtainable in other nations today. Since no level of government gives any form of support to these schools in the form of finances or provision of educational equipment, the least they can do is to stop bothering them with all manner of taxes and levies.”

He thanked voluntary agencies and private school owners for their contributions to basic education in Nigeria and urged them to continue to improve the quality of their teaching and facilities.

While thanking the students and teachers of the school, Obi called on other owners of schools to emulate them by supporting their schools through the provision of first class facilities.
The highpoint of the visit was the presentation of a cheque of N1 million to the school for continued infrastructure improvement.