Owners of private schools in Anambra complain about excessive taxes and other levies

The group requests that the government of Anambra reconsider various taxes and levies.

The Anambra State Government has been encouraged by the Owners of Private Schools Association of Nigeria (OPSAN) to evaluate the various taxes and levies that its agencies are requesting from owners of private schools.

OPSAN’s National President, Prof. Uzochukwu Nwanonyuo, made the appeal on Monday during the swearing-in of the organization’s new Anambra state executive, headed by Chief Ernest Iwuamadi.

Private schools, according to Nwanonyuo, should not be seen as economic ventures but rather as institutions that provide social services for God and humanity. He pleaded on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to act quickly and save the private schools from the burdens of excessive taxes, unlawful levies, and other unjustified payments.

Exorbitant taxes and levies are the state’s main problem. We encourage the state administration to take swift action on the issue.

“Anambra State Joint Enforcement Unit’s intrusion and harassment pose another problem. Their actions have had an impact on the state’s quality of education.

“Government needs to convey to the regulating body that schools are different from the business world. It calls for decency.

Owners are not operating for the purpose of making a profit; rather, they provide social services for the benefit of God and all people. They also assist the government in addressing the educational system’s decency.

Iwuamadi, the new state president of OPSAN, lamented the marginalisation of private schools in his remarks, claiming that the government had exempted mission schools and public schools from numerous levies and taxes. He said that the government imposed fees for commercial real estate, billboard, signboard, school bus, and other signage.

He believed that all school levies and taxes had to be combined into a single, comprehensive levy for private schools.

“The government favour public schools when providing aid or appointing officials, forgetting that every school it approves shares government ownership.

“For instance, the government does not post successful Common Entrance students to private secondary schools,” he said.

Iwuamadi praised the previous administration and pledged to give the association’s goals first priority while assisting members in their activities.