Oyo IGR Consultants Killing Businesses With Unpleasant Taxes — Hoteliers Groan

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    This is not the best of times for hoteliers and other business owners in Oyo State, no thanks to the incessant and obnoxious taxes levied on them by consultants engaged by the state government.

    Some of the business owners, especially those in the hospitality sector, in a distress call to OYOINSIGHT.COM, expressed frustration over the turn of events in the state.

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    According to them, it was not as tough as this during the administration of late former governor Abiola Ajimobi that the present administration took over from.

    Schools, they said, were exempted from some taxes between 2011 and 2019, challenging government and its agents to come out with one tangible reason why they need to tax them heavily “without any event done in the state that has benefitted hoteliers.”

    Alleging duplication of taxes by consultants who have nothing to lose if anything bad happens to the state as their offices are not based in the state, they urged Seyi Makinde, governor of the state to do something urgently to arrest the situation.

    “Some of our members are already being forced out of business. This is apart from the fact that they have to sort some other things like diesel to service their facilities. It just doesn’t make any sense. Even, things are not as bad as this in Lagos.

    Hoteliers in Oyo State are not happy with the way the state government is levying multiple taxes on the hospitality businesses.

    “For example, hoteliers pay more than 18 different taxes. The land use charges is another one. They just come with taxes anytime. We are not saying we should be taxed but they should reason with us. We are partners in progress with government. The role we perform cannot be overemphasized. Investors come to town because they have conducive places to lay their head on. Yes, we make money from it but it is a win-win for everyone. Another factor is that the employment generated through hospitality business, education and others have assisted greatly in taming criminalities in the land.
    They revealed that the heavy taxes are having effect on their businesses, adding that they can’t even employ more hands because of the bills they need to pay.
    “Is it not too bad for the consultants to come up with 18 different taxes. The names they tag them are so ridiculous that you will have headache immediately you see this. This is despite the fact that government provides almost nothing in return for all these monies collected. We do almost everything ourselves.
    “Another funny thing is that these people who they hired as consultants are not residents here. Their businesses are not located here. If they are residents and have businesses here, they will feel our pains. They should pity us. We buy everything with pain. You know all the price of diesel now. We can’t increase our charges. We can’t reduce salary of staff.
    “We are helping government more than they are helping us. The jobs government claims they are generating are majorly through business owners.
    “We urge our amiable governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde to help us look into this. Why we are not saying we don’t want to pay tax, government should not add to our burden. They should talk to these consultants to stop duplications of taxes.
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