Ebonyi 2023: I will end obnoxious taxation If elected—APGA guber candidate
From Chinedu Nwafor Abakaliki
The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA) in Ebonyi State for the 2023 governorship election, Professor Bernard Odoh has pledged to end obnoxious taxation if Elected governor of the State.
Odoh who alleged there were too many taxes currently being paid by people in Ebonyi state, lamented that the development had affected many businesses.
Odoh, a former Secretary to the State Government spoke in Abakaliki, the state capital, on Wednesday, during an interactive session organized by Justice, Development, Peace and Caritas Initiative of Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, for Governorship candidates of political parties angling to produce the next governor of the state.
According to Odoh, Ebonyi State as it is now, is very hostile to investments.
He explained that the state is currently ranked 26 out of the 36 states in the federation on the ease of doing business.
“Globally, investment is determined by ease of doing business. Ebonyi State today ranked 26/36 on the ease of doing business scale.
“The implication is that Ebonyi is very hostile to investment. We have too many taxes in this city.
“When I assume office, we will review taxes and remove all remove all unhealthy taxes.
“We will expand our capabilities on the issue of issuance of permit for business men. If we don’t start ease of doing business, nobody is going to come here”, he stated.
He condemned N2.5bn spent on Christmas celebration by the state government and accused the government of fiscal indiscipline.
Earlier, the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, Most Rev. Dr Peter Nworie, while declaring the event open noted that it was organized as part of the contributions of the church in ensuring that the right person emerged as the next governor of the state.
