The governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has condemned the imposition of tax on loaves of bread produced in the state.
Edward Onoja, the deputy governor, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.
This paper had reported how the state government hired a consultant, Musag Enterprises, to levy bakers and caterers for every loaf of bread and confectionery they produce in the state.
The state’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry made the introduction on November 9, through a memo signed by its permanent secretary, Usman Ibrahim.
The memo was addressed to the chairperson, Association of Master bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, Kogi State branch.
The collection of the levy was billed to commence on Monday.
The levy which generated furore because it is coming at a time businesses have barely recovered from the economic effects of the pandemic, was also defended by the state’s commissioner of information, Kingsley Fanwo.
Mr Fanwo said the levy are not new and that the engagement of a firm to collect them was one of the state’s strategies for protecting its indigenous bakers.
He said the state’s indigenous bakers had complained of poor sales due to bakers who pay no tax to the state bringing bread from outside the state to sell in Kogi.
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