By Cajetan Mmuta
The Anambra State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has reiterated his commitment to ensuring the release of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Soludo stated this on Monday during his quarterly statewide media chat, designed to intimate Anambra people o the activities of government.
He disclosed that he had booked an appointment with President Muhammadu Buhari, and is only waiting for an approval of the appointment, where he hopes to discuss the issue of security in the South East, and the release of Kanu.
Recall that Soludo had during the flag off of the APGA Presidential Campaign at the Ekwueme Square Awka called on the federal government to release Kanu unconditionally even as he vowed to stand as surety for Kanu.
The Attorney general and minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami had said that Soludo only made a statement, but has not applied to the court, or to his office about Kanu’s release.
However Soludo during the media chat said he hope to meet President Buhari, and also speak with him on the imperative of releasing Kanu.
According to him, releasing Kanu would help him (Kanu) to intervene in areas where people use secessionist agitation as a means to perpetuate criminality.
He said: “On the issue of Nnamdi Kanu, his release does not mean that insecurity will be completely eliminated. The call is in the best interest of the South East as a whole.
He (Kanu) was saddened by the level of crime associated with the agitation when I visited him in prison. He called it an abomination.
“Everyone has now become freedom fighter, using it as an avenue to commit crime. The truth is that if he is released, he will be able to distinguish between genuine freedom fighters and criminals.
“What is still holding him back is a political issue. I am awaiting confirmation of appointment with the President to hand him the letter officially.”
Governor Soludo said that insecurity remains state’s greatest challenge, recalling how seven local government area were besieged prior to his assumption in office, mostly in Anambra South Senatorial Zone.
“The state and Federal Government has been working and so far, there has been improvement. We have over 1,000 Anambra Vigilante personnel. There is a significant difference in security between when I took over office and now.
“We are determined that the state will be completely secure. Over 5000 youths have been empowered, and 5000 teachers have been hired.
“On the issue of Nnamdi Kanu, his release does not mean that insecurity will be completely eliminated. The call is in the best interest of the South East as a whole. He was saddened by the level of crime associated with the agitation when I visited him in prison. He called it an abomination.”
“Everyone has now become freedom fighters, using it as an avenue to commit crime. The truth is that if he is released, he will be able to distinguish between genuine freedom fighters and criminals.
“What is still holding him back is a political issue!” I am awaiting confirmation of appointment with the President to hand him the letter officially.
Concerning the government policies and tax exemptions for vulcanizers, traders, and hawkers, the Governor responded that anything involving money always make some people nervous.
The Governor said: “developed countries pay taxes!” People in the United Kingdom pay road tax, waste tax, tenant rate, and so on. This was how the government used to function. Nigeria used taxes to build the country many years ago.
He emphasized that there’s no great country where people don’t pay taxes. People pay between 20% to 30% of their income as tax but in our Country, oil money came and we forgot taxes are used to develop the state. Our people want everything free- electricity, infrastructure, water, etc.
“Oil money is running out. Take a look at Lagos; they used taxation to get to where they are now. They made N65 billion last year and plan to make N100 billion this year. We made a paltry N20 billion in Anambra last year. In our income, the percentage income is 0.2%, not up to 1%, implying that 99.8% is in the hands of private individuals.
“The road we are constructing in Amansea, Awka North alone costs more than what we made last year, and all communities require road infrastructure. If everyone pays just 5% of their income, we’ll be close to earning N300 billion annually.
“We stated that we would have a tax system. Keke, minibus, and okada drivers must pay their fair share, but it is unfair for the poor to pay more than the rich, which is why we called a meeting with Keke riders, who proposed paying N10,000 per month but prefer to pay weekly with insurance attached.
“But the rich man who drives a jeep or owns a large shop pays N 12,000; where is the justice in that? Ndi Anambra who live in other states or abroad should have a way of contributing their taxes.
“If you pay N100,000 in Lagos, you should pay N50,000 in Anambra. Our people who live in Lagos and other states want good roads, but how much tax do they pay? Ndi Anambra are expected to pay their taxes both those living at home and abroad because we want a very fair and progressive tax system.
“We applied for a loan but we are yet to access it! We are managing our limited resources and accounting for every Kobo spent.
“Yes! We said that vulcanizers, hawkers, and traders should not pay taxes, and that is how it should be.
“We projected N4 billion per month, but we only made N2 billion in January this year, so we haven’t made much progress,” the Governor stressed.
On touting, the Governor stressed that it is not a profession, claiming that majority of the touts do nothing else for a living.
“We want a tax system where there won’t be touts but it can’t be accomplished in a day.
“If you’ve been listening to the news, you’ll know that we caught nearly 80 of them at Upper Iweka during the Christmas season. We discovered that majority of them do not have addresses when they were charged in court.
We’re catching them one by one.
“If there were 1000 of them before, they are now drastically fewer. It has almost become a culture in the state, but I can tell you that most of our prisons are now overcrowded with touts, including those awaiting trials.
“I must use this occasion to plead that ndi Anambra no longer want touts in the state. They can move to another state to continue their business. Touts have no place in the tax system that we are implementing in Anambra.
“Anambra must be a liveable and prosperous homeland. We are going after them but they won’t disappear overnight,” emphasized the Governor.
Speaking on roads, the Governor stated that he has visited each of the state’s twenty-one local government areas to physically assess all roads under construction.
“I must use my eyes to assess any road we are constructing or intend to build. I’ve toured the worst roads in the state, and we’re working to improve them.
“Anyone we build will be standard, guaranteed to last at least 20 years, and we have technical engineers, bureau of public procurement, special implementation team, ministry of works, and resident engineers who inspect the roads. Even Anambra residents monitor and send me videos of the road thickness, for example.
