Land Use Charge: NBA blows hot, gives Ambode 7 days to reverse ‘hell tax’

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, says its would march
against the revised Land Use Charge on Tuesday March 13 if Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode failed to reverse the "hell tax".

Chairman of the Branch, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, told newsmen on
Wednesday that protest will start from the Branch Secretariat in Ikeja
down to the Lagos State Secretariat in Alausa.

He disclosed that the march had been tagged "Hell Tax Must Go".

Ogunlana said: "Few weeks ago, Lagosians woke up to learn about the
hyper-inflated rate of the so called "Land Use Charge" which the
Governor of Lagos has escalated upwards 400 percent.

"Recently, one of our colleagues who regularly pay the sum of under
N140,000 as LUC for office building received a notice of the LUC
demand, he is now to pay the amount of N2 million.

"If these tax rates are allowed, Lagos state would be turned into a
'Toxic Environment and a living hell' for Lagosians."

Ogunlana warned that the increase in property tax of the LUC will have
an adverse effect on all other services as owners of properties and
services will automatically transfer other financial burdens to their
customers.

"My view is that the government of Lagos State has lost sync with the
difficult and harsh realities of life of the people of Lagos and has
taken their support and goodwill for his government for granted."

"Life will become not only too expensive but volatile and dangerous.

"The government cannot hide under "Developing Lagos into a Mega Smart
City" to kill Lagosians with Pharaoic Taxes," the legal practitioner
said.