Popular Nollywood actress and entrepreneur, Iyabo Ojo, raised concerns over her increasing tax burden in Lagos State.
The actress tackled Lagos State Government over exorbitant tax of N18,640,092 she got from Lagos Inland Revenue Services.
Taking to her Instagram page on Sunday, the actress shared documents of a personal income tax letter and expressed her frustration with the exorbitant amount demanded by the government.
The actress referred to a previous payment, wondering how she would be able to pay such outrage amount within the period of three months ultimatum given to her which elapse before the end of November.
She said, “So now I have paid from 2020 to 2019 but I must pay the remaining of almost N18 million for 2020-2022 before end of November of go to court, every effort on my pary to reduce it was rejected, even when I had forcefully accept it. My payment plan was also been rejected, I even had to write an apology latter, yet they refuse to give me an easy payment plan, now tell me if this not witch hunting and I’m supposed to keep silent.”
While lamenting that despite the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown that negatively impacted her businesses, she still paid multiple taxes.
Iyabo Ojo said, “Since 2020 which was the COVID-19 lockdown season, who really made so much money? If I had made so much money I won’t have bought my house on mortgage, since 2020 my business has been going through ups and downs, yet I still constantly pay all my business tax, mortgage tax loan tax etc.”
Feeling overwhelmed by the mounting financial burden, the mother of two raised concerns about the government’s alleged insensitivity to the challenges faced by individuals and businesses.
She said, “I’m the breadwinner, I have over 30 people depend on me, dollar rising almost everyday, fuel high, diesel high, everything expensive, but I still was given three months to pay over N18 how?????.”
“The money we make, the bills are overwhelming, even to save is a problem,” Ojo added.
This incident is not the first time Ojo has publicly voiced her grievances regarding taxation in Lagos.
In 2019, she shared tax papers on Instagram, bemoaning the excessive taxation that was jeopardising her business.
She expressed her struggle to make a profit amid various financial obligations, including rent, salaries, maintenance, and multiple taxes imposed by the local and state governments.
