Enenche urges Benue govt to clamp down on illegal schools, decries multiple taxation

Henry Iyorkase, Makurdi

Manager, Ledo Little Saints Nursery and Primary School, Achusa, Makurdi, Mr. Adikwu Enenche, has called on the Benue State Government to clamp down on illegal school operators and address the challenge of multiple taxation confronting private school owners in the state.

Speaking with Mirror Newspaper on Friday in Makurdi, Enenche lamented that private school proprietors have continued to experience sleepless nights due to the various levies imposed on them by the Benue State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) and officials of the Makurdi Local Government Area.

According to him, the persistent demands for taxes and levies from different government agencies have become a serious burden on school owners, especially at a time when many private schools are struggling to remain afloat.

He noted that school fees charged by most private schools in Benue are relatively low compared to what obtains in other parts of the country, making it difficult for proprietors to cope with the increasing financial pressures.

“These disturbances are unbecoming. The persistent demands by different bodies are indeed worrisome, and we are calling on the state government to urgently intervene and halt the trend,” he said.

Enenche recalled that at the beginning of the year, private school proprietors were invited to the Benue State House of Assembly to discuss the issue of multiple taxation.

He explained that during the meeting, school owners proposed the harmonisation of levies collected by BIRS and the Makurdi Local Government to prevent different agencies from demanding payments from schools for the same purpose.

“Our position was made clear at the House of Assembly. We requested that the levies from BIRS and the local government be merged to avoid a situation where one group comes today and another returns tomorrow demanding payment for the same purpose,” he stated.

The educationist further disclosed that the issue was extensively discussed during a joint meeting with school proprietors and that far-reaching decisions were reached on the need to fuse the levies. However, he regretted that nothing tangible had been achieved since then.

On the proliferation of illegal schools in the state, Enenche expressed concern that the activities of unregistered and substandard institutions pose a serious threat to the quality of education in Benue.

He therefore called on the state government and relevant regulatory agencies to take decisive action by identifying and shutting down illegal schools operating across the state.

According to him, sanitising the education sector and creating a friendly environment for genuine investors in education would go a long way in improving the standard of learning and ensuring quality education for children in Benue State.