Tag: Edo

Hundreds of banners and placards-carrying private schools’ owners in Edo State yesterday protested the outrageous taxes imposed by the Edo government.

They described as unacceptable the alarming increase in the taxes forced on them by the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo, which they said should be changed.

The private schools’ owners, under the umbrella of Coalition of Associations of Private Schools (CAPS) in Edo, converged on the Ministry of Education at the state secretariat complex on Sapele Road, Benin to register their displeasure.

The coalition included Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON), Association of Formidable Education Development (AFED), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), and the Association of Model Islamic Model Schools.

Some of the protesters’ placards and banners had these inscriptions: “The taxes charged are exorbitant, we cannot afford them”, “Change the new tax policy in Edo State”, “Edo Board of Internal Revenue, let private schools breathe”, “Just tell us to close our schools”, “Please, charge tax on profits not on capital” and “Please, do not send our children back to the street by the increased taxation.”

Others included: “We are partners in the quest to give education to all. Why tax us without consideration?”, “Private schools’ operators are complementing the government”, “Every child should access education. Help our schools to survive. Change your tax policy on private schools”, “We pay our taxes, but this present tax distribution is outrageous. We need a solution”, “Please, do not use overtaxing as a means of extortion. We are supportive employers of labour” and “Truth be told, the government alone cannot cater for the education of Edo State children. Then the need for private schools.”

The protesters called on Edo state government to reverse the 200 per cent to 400 per cent increase in tax rates on the proprietors of private schools, with the multiple layers including personal income tax, Pay As You Earn (PAYE) for staff, renewal fees, environmental and health certificate fees, signage fees, tenement rates, and other levies.

Chairman of the coalition, Dr. Ohis-Olakhe Emmanuel, who led the protest, described the tax hike as punitive and economically damaging to the education sector, while disclosing that the group had exhausted all channels of dialogue, without result, thereby opting to protest.

Read Also: Uromi killings: Fed, Edo govts set up fact-finding committee

He said: “Private schools are not only complementing government efforts in the education sector, but we are also significant employers of labour.

“With this increase in taxes, over 300,000 teachers risk losing their jobs, not to mention the countless vendors and service providers who depend on private schools for survival.

“The new policy of using N30,000 to N35,000 per student to compute tax, whereas there are schools charging below the amount, is very harsh. The tax ought to be calculated on profit, and not the entire income, without minding other expenses incurred.”

Emmanuel also admonished the considerate Okpebholo’s administration to quickly look into the challenge and effect the necessary change, for the private schools to survive, thereby preventing the closure of private schools in Edo, job losses, and surge in the number of out-of-school children.

Edo Commissioner of Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, while addressing the protesters, after a brief meeting with the leadership of the coalition, assured that the state government would look into the demands of the private schools’ owners.

He noted that as a government, which was ready to provide an enabling environment for businesses in Edo, a meeting would be convened with the state’s internal revenue service, in order to address the grey areas.

The displeased youths of Abiala in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State have threatened to shut operations at Elcrest Exploration and Production (E&P) Nigeria Limited over neglect of the crude oil and gas-rich community, unless their demands were met within twenty one days.

Neglect of Abiala by the oil company during its dredging activities, according to the aggrieved youths yesterday, led to huge economic losses for indigenes and residents of the area.

The youths of the host community expressed their displeasure through a protest letter to the Managing Director of Elcrest E&P Nigeria Limited, which was signed by their President, Felix Jemigbeyi, and the Vice President, Difference Emmanuel, among other members of the executive, with copies also sent to security agencies.

They accused the oil firm of undermining the youths’ peaceful disposition to yield to their requests.

The youths said: “We will no longer tolerate being sidelined. It is unacceptable that despite our peaceful disposition, our simple requests for job opportunities and fair compensation remain ignored.

“The community articulated a clear set of demands to the oil firm, including a commitment to ensure 60 per cent of unskilled and 40 percent of skilled employment opportunities from Elcrest’s operations go to local youths.

“We also demanded that all non-technical contracts be awarded to Abiala’s indigenous contractors and to ensure fair compensation for landowners affected by the company’s dredging activities, as the lives and livelihoods of our people suffered, due to the operations of Elcrest E&P.

“We are not against the company pursuing its business goals, but as the host community, we ought to benefit from the resources taken from our land. It is shocking that despite multiple communications and clear explanations of our situation, the oil company failed to acknowledge our legitimate demands.”

In the protest letter, the youths also expressed disappointment at the company’s perceived indifference, which they said would not ensure peaceful coexistence and progress in Abiala.

Read Also: Uromi killings: Fed, Edo govts set up fact-finding committee

The oil firm, in a letter dated January 29, 2025, stated that it had complied with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), but the community’s lawyer, Eric Omare, however, insisted that the claim was unfounded, while declaring that Elcrest had not yet established the Host Community Development Trust required by the PIA, which undermined the company’s claim of compliance.

Omare pointed out that while the PIA would govern host community relationships, it did not specifically address employment and contracting opportunities, which he said were central to the community youths’ demands, and that compliance with the PIA did not exempt Elcrest from fulfilling other legal obligations to Abiala.

The lawyer noted that the youths’ representatives had not been included in the governance structure set up by Elcrest, which violated the regulations promoting youths’ participation in community development.

The Edo state government has initiated steps to address the controversy surrounding the ceding of oil wells at Orogho in Orhionmwon Local Government Area to neighboring Delta State.

Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa led a delegation to Orogho, where he met with community leaders, including the Odionwere, Pa Odiase Omorogieva, to discuss a peaceful resolution.

Idahosa expressed his commitment to ensuring that the people of Orogho do not lose their resources, despite the challenges of underdevelopment in the area. 

He assured the community that Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration would engage relevant agencies to restore the benefits from the disputed oil wells, aimed at boosting the region’s socio-economic development.

The Deputy Governor, accompanied by Seplat Energy’s General Manager for Government Relations, Mrs. Adiza Gambati, also visited the disputed oil wells and called on the community to avoid taking matters into their own hands, emphasising that the issue would receive due attention.

Read Also: Troops arrest 43 oil thieves, seize 254,000 litres of stolen products in Niger Delta

Edo deputy governor also had on the fact-finding visit, the Special Adviser on Oil and Gas to Governor Okpebholo, Mr. Felix Isere, and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Edo Deputy Governor, Pius Alile, among other top government officials.

Orogho youth leader, Charles Eghaghe, in his remarks, expressed satisfaction over the prompt response by Edo state government to find an amicable resolution to the injustice being done to the people of the community.

He noted that since 1993, when Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria Limited, began operation in the disputed oil wells, royalties were paid to Edo government, in addition to corporate social responsibility in Orogho, but expressed displeasure that things changed when Seplat Energy PLC took over the operation of the oil wells.

Eghaghe pleaded with Edo government to urgently wade into the matter, and return the disputed oil wells to the state (Edo), while revealing that most youths of Orogho, who were graduates, had no jobs, despite being indigenes of an oil producing community.

Nigerian peace ambassador and rising artist, Sunday Ajakaiye, popularly known as Zunday, has expressed  concerns over the recent surge in violent incidents in Edo State, including the horrific attack on 16 travellers from north in Uromi and the escalating kidnappings in Igarra.

Zunday, born in the historic Kukuruku Hills of Edo State, lamented the persistent kidnappings in Igarra, allegedly perpetrated by herdsmen who obstruct roads with cattle to execute their nefarious acts.

He stressed the need for authorities to investigate the ownership and interests behind these cattle and implement stringent measures for the transportation of livestock to prevent further endangerment of innocent lives.

Read Also: Enough of the horror on Otedola Bridge, Lagos

“We must ask ourselves: Who owns these cows? Whose interests do they serve? It’s imperative that we address these questions to tackle the root causes of these security challenges,” he said.

He urged the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, to prioritize the enhancement of the state’s security architecture.

He called on the governor to implement comprehensive strategies that will restore public confidence and ensure the safety of all residents and travellers within the state.

 He encouraged the public to channel their grievances through appropriate legal avenues and to demand accountability from those in positions of power.

“Taking the law into our own hands only leads to more chaos. We must trust in our institutions and hold our leaders accountable to ensure justice and security for all,” he added.

The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja has scheduled judgment for Wednesday in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial election challenging the outcome of the poll.

The Nation learnt on Tuesday that parties have since been notified through hearing notices.

The tribunal, chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi reserved judgment on March 3 after entertaining final arguments from parties.

PDP and Ighodalo are, in their petition, querying the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the election, which they claimed was marred by irregularities.

Shortly after lawyers to parties adopted their written addresses and made final submissions on March 3 the three-man tribunal announced that the date for judgment would be communicated to them.

Lawyer to the petitioners, Ken Mozia (SAN), in his final submission, contended that his clients have successfully demonstrated electoral malpractices in 765 polling units out of 4,519 across the state. 

He noted discrepancies at various collation levels, where figures on Form EC8A (polling unit results) were allegedly reduced at the ward and local government collation stages (EC8B). 

The petitioners’ lawyer added that INEC certified all documents tendered by the petitioners, but failed to present any counter-evidence.

He said: “The issue is not about producing an alternative result, but about questioning the validity of the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal uploads.”

Mozia argued that election petitions should be determined by the impact of irregularities on the process, not just the percentage of affected polling units.

He then prayed the tribunal to grant all the reliefs in the petition, including the voiding of Okpebholo’s victory.

Lawyer to INEC, Kanu Agabi (SAN) argued that the petition lacked merit, arguing that the tribunal can not annul the election because that is not the relief sought by the petitioners.

Agabi also argued that the tribunal cannot declare that the petitioners are the winners of the election in the light of their assertion that the election is invalid.

Read Also: Nigerians laud Edo Governor over handling of Uromi killings

He contended that the ground of non-compliance pleaded by the petitioners is not accompanied by the appropriate consequential relief which would have been for the annulment of the election, adding that that ground is incompetent.

Agabi argued that the number of polling unit agents invited as witnesses by the petitioners are insignificant to represent the number of polling units in Edo State.

He claimed that the case of the petitioners is founded on analysis of documents and not what happened on the field on the date of the election.

Lawyer to Okpebholo, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), described the petition as an “academic exercise,” arguing that the documents tendered by the petitioners, including Forms EC25B and EC40A were “dumped in the court” without proper demonstration of their relevance.

He urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition.

Lawyer to the APC,  Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) made similar arguments and prayed the tribunal to reject the petition.