Kunle ADELABU
-Introduces Ikorodu North Council Trust Fund, calls for new tax regime
The Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) has parleyed with management of the largest Industrial Estate in West Africa and other corporate executives within the council jurisdiction for the purpose of partnering them for development.
At the parley held at Sheriffit Hotel, Odogunyan in Ikorodu North LCDA, on Wednesday, January 24, 2018, the Chairman also introduced another laudable initiative, the Ikorodu North Local Council Trust Fund Initiative.
Hon. Adeola Banjo, Chairman of the Ikorodu North LCDA, while addressing company executives, stated that the parley was called to identify areas of concerns of the companies for the purpose of addressing them and make them discharge their duties to the council and residents.
“Why we are gathered here today is to identify areas where business owners, companies and their Personnel Managers within our jurisdiction are having any challenge(s) and look at how the council can come in and where necessary, be the link with state government in solving such”.
He assured them that the council, under his leadership, would be responsive to the demands of all and sundry.
“To checkmate financial leakages in our revenue collection and find ways of curbing them, I strongly advise that we should embrace the cashless policy of the government by making payments through cheques, bank draft among others”, Hon. Banjo stated.
“Each company’s Personnel Managers within local council area will have my direct line to confirm Demand Notice Verification and payment confirmation or to privately discuss with me” he assured them
According to the chairman, the parley was also called “to evaluate the Corporate Social Responsibilities of the companies to the host communities”.
To this end, Hon Banjo introduced the Ikorodu North Council Trust Fund, which is going to be managed by the companies’ Personnel Managers with the Secretary to the Council as Secretary without any executive power.
The chairman, while speaking on the council’s intention to introduce a new tax regime, stated that the measures upon which council taxes were set when Hon. Faleke, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, who was then the Chairman of the Conference of Chairmen in Lagos State, can no longer work.
He added that the tagging of Ikorodu Local Government, which now has 6 council areas, as rural need urgent review for the council to achieve development.
Dr Olasunkanmi Odesanya, the Head of Administration of the Ikorodu North LCDA, in his address at the parley, assured the representatives of the companies that the council would look into their demands and respond where necessary.
Odesanya also clarified that some of the demands like rehabilitation of Ikorodu-Shagamu road and improved electricity to the Industrial estates are not that of the council but the Federal Government.
Some of the corporate executives that made presentations at the meeting were Mr Ogunsola Akin, Tolaram African Enterprise, Mr Sunday Okafor, Super Engineering Company, Mr Makinde, Ikorodu Steel and the Personnel Manager of Lucky Fibres Limited.
While commending the council for the noble initiative of meeting with the executives to know how they are fairing, the representatives also enjoined the council to consider the effects of the economic down turn on their performances in introducing a new tax regime.
Some of the requests and observations of the companies included the rehabilitation of Ikorodu-Shagamu road, rehabilitation of the Odogunyan Industrial Estate road, improved power supply to the Industrial estate, assurance of new beginning from the council and departure from the past, transparency and accountability in the collection of dues, stoppage of their truck drivers at Ita-Oluwo and other areas by different Revenue Officers and dislodging of shanties constituting nuisance among others.
The company representatives, who stated that they have been doing their Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR), enjoined the council to allow them continue impacting on their immediate environment and not other areas of the council.
Other companies represented at the parley were Greek Construction Limited, African Steel Mills, Super Engineering, Tolaram African Enterprise Limited, Luigreed Nigerian Limited, Sunflag Nigeria Limited, Nutricima, Sparlight Industry Limited and Pulkil Alojo & Steel Limited among others.
