Don’t pay land use charge, NBA tells Lagos residents
Adeshina Ogunlana
The Ikeja branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has called on residents of Lagos not to hurriedly pay the new land use charge until government listens and bows to the people.
It said the bar would mobilise 3,000 lawyers who have signified their readiness to defend residents free of charge on the matter.
Its chairman, Adeshina Ogunlana, disclosed this yesterday at a press conference held at the Bar Center, Ikeja.
He advised property owners in the state not to be in hurry to pay the 50 per cent reduction of the land use charge (LUC) offered by the state government.
The charge was only reviewed downward recently after protests by stakeholders including the NBA.
Consequently, the House of Assembly has set up a committee to review the LUC 2018 to reflect its purported rejection by the executive.
The NBA described the reduction as a sham, saying: Governor Ambode’s Toxic Tax Must Go (GATT).
The lawyers went a step further by promising to defend the people in court with not less than 3,000 lawyers in the event that the state government decides to prosecute anyone.
Ogunlana, therefore, called on the House of Assembly to publish the proposed draft of the reviewed land use law for interested residents to study and be acquainted with the law.
“There should be adequate participation in public hearings that will precede any amendment and which amendment should be delayed until May 2018,” he stated.
He added that if the Lagos State government failed to do so, the association would again, protest on Thursday, March 29, 2018.
He also said the NBA was not against taxation or an increase, but urged Lagos residents to accept only taxes that are transparent, gradual, reasonable, legal and utilised.
Related
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.