Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu has inaugurated a nine-member committee to conduct a comprehensive review of all state-controlled tax policies, rates, levies and fees.
The committee’s creation follows public complaints over alleged multiple taxation in the state.
Chaired by Ikechukwu Ezenwukwa, the state solicitor-general, the committee includes Adenike Okebu, senior special assistant to the governor on revenue mobilisation; Ben Asogwa, Enugu chair of the Trade Union Congress (TUC); and Chinwuba Igwesi, chair of the state market association.
Other members are Ngozi Ezema, Head of Legal at the Enugu state Internal Revenue Service; Chinedu Mbah, senior special assistant on Markets; Nnanyelugo Onyemelukwe, first deputy president of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture; Paul Okwo, representative of ALGON; and Crownwell Chibuzo, representing civil society.
The committee has two weeks to submit its report.
It is mandated to benchmark Enugu’s revenue practices against Lagos, Abuja, and south-east states, particularly around land use charge, C of O fees, market levies, stall rents, business premises registration, and signage fees.
It is expected to recommend reforms to improve fairness, transparency, compliance and revenue efficiency.
Inaugurating the committee at government house on Friday, Mbah—represented by Chidiebere Onyia, secretary to the state government (SSG), —said the review became necessary following increasing public complaints over taxes and other state revenue heads.
He said the committee is to examine existing harmonisation laws, assess their implementation, and identify all state-controlled revenue heads, excluding federally administered taxes.
It is also to review areas of duplication, multiple taxation and the impact of expanding the tax bracket on citizens.
The governor directed the committee to conduct broad stakeholder engagement with property owners, traders, council chairmen, revenue officers, civil society groups and business owners.
Providing context on ongoing revenue reforms, Mbah said his administration has moved from “a fragmented silos model” to a unified, data-driven system.
One major step, he noted, was the abolition of cash collection across MDAs, with all payments now made through digital platforms to ensure transparency and eliminate leakages.
“This move has drastically reduced opportunities for fraud and enhanced public confidence in our systems,” he said.
Ezenwukwa described the committee’s inauguration as evidence of the governor’s responsiveness to citizens’ concerns and pledged that members would deliver on the assignment.
