NEWS
Kogi State Faces Backlash Over Parental Tax Clearance Policy For Student Registration
The Kogi State government’s recent policy requiring students to present verifiable tax clearance certificates from their parents before being allowed to register for school has triggered widespread criticism.
Parents, human rights activists, and education stakeholders across the state have denounced the move, calling it discriminatory and a violation of children’s right to education.
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The directive, issued in late November 2024 by Sule Enehe, Chairman of the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue Services, instructed schools to enforce the policy. Since then, it has faced mounting opposition.
Prominent Kogi-based legal practitioner and rights activist, Arome Odoma, has taken legal steps to challenge the policy.
In a pre-action notice addressed to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and Sule Enehe, Odoma criticized the policy as “repugnant to natural justice, equity, and good conscience.”
Citing constitutional rights, Odoma stated, “Education is not a privilege but a right. This policy deprives future leaders of their fundamental right to education and imposes undue hardship on children for the financial shortcomings of their parents.”
He further argued that the policy undermines the state’s commitment to education, warning that it could reduce the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of educational institutions by discouraging student enrollment.
Odoma gave the state government until January 10, 2025, to reverse the policy or face litigation.
Parents and education advocates have also condemned the policy. Elesho Emmanuel, a concerned parent, described it as “anti-education and anti-human,” questioning the fairness of punishing children for their parents’ tax status.
“Governor Ododo must have been misled by advisers focused solely on revenue generation. This policy is unjust and unprecedented. It must be reversed immediately,” Emmanuel stated.
Sir Agabaidu Jideani, National Commissioner for the Right to Education at the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria (NHRC), urged the government to reconsider its approach.
“While tax compliance is essential, policies should not inadvertently deny children their right to education,” he remarked, calling for a more balanced solution.
Critics have emphasized the need for the state government to uphold its responsibility to protect the right to education, especially for vulnerable children.
They argue that such a policy risks exacerbating poverty and inequality in the state.
The Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has assured corps members deployed to the state of their safety, despite rising security concerns across the region.
Speaking on Friday through the Commissioner for Youth, Sports Development and Creativity, Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange, Governor Alia said his administration is working closely with security agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of all National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members throughout their service year.
“Sadly, our nation is currently bedevilled with security challenges, and Benue State is not exempt,” the governor stated.
“However, let me quickly allay your fears and assure you that, as a government, we are committed to ensuring that your safety is guaranteed throughout your stay in the state.”
He noted that comprehensive protective measures have been implemented across corps lodges and other areas occupied by corps members in the state.
Governor Alia also encouraged the new corps members to take full advantage of the NYSC’s Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, describing it as a “gateway to great opportunities.”
He further urged them to use their God-given talents to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development.
In her remarks, the State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs. Veronica Garba, thanked the governor and the people of Benue for their continued support of the scheme.
She charged the new inductees to actively participate in the four cardinal components of the orientation course: physical training, motivational lectures, sporting activities, and SAED.
The orientation exercise welcomed a total of 1,600 corps members, officially inducted into the programme by Justice Peter Ukande, who represented the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambeae.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has approved the appointment of a new Acting Director of Administration for the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu.
This was contained in a statement in Uburu on Thursday by the DUFUTH’s Public Relations Officer, Agwu N. O.
According to Agwu, the new appointee is Edith Anih, an indigene of Enugu State with relevant working experience, having worked at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, where she was Deputy Director of Administration.
It was gathered that the approval was conveyed in a letter dated April 23, 2025, addressed to the Chief Medical Director.
Prior to her appointment, Anih held the position of Deputy Director of Administration at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu.
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He wrote, “Mrs. Anih Edith Ndidi is a seasoned administrator born on May 22, 1973. She is married and hails from Enugu State, specifically Enugu South Local Government Area.
“She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management. She is also an associate member of the Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria (IHSAN).
“The Management of DUFUTH extends a warm welcome to the new DA and looks forward to collaborating with her as she brings a fresh perspective to the hospital’s administrative leadership.”
The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to launch a forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), in a major move aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, at the ongoing Nigerian Investor Forum, held on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC.
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Edun explained that the upcoming audit, along with recent changes in NNPCL management, is part of a broader effort to reform the state-owned oil company and rebuild trust in Nigeria’s economic institutions.
Addressing top global investors, including representatives from financial giant J.P. Morgan, Edun outlined a series of bold economic reforms introduced by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He said the measures are already yielding positive results and have laid a strong foundation for future growth.
“Our goal is not just to maintain this momentum, but to accelerate it,” Edun said. “We are targeting seven per cent annual growth, and we believe the policies we have implemented have laid the groundwork to achieve this.”
According to Edun, Nigeria’s economy grew by 3.84% in the fourth quarter of 2024, with an overall annual growth rate of 3.4%.
He described the government’s economic strategy as “unprecedented,” adding that key indicators such as the budget deficit, trade balance, and exchange rate have all shown signs of improvement.
“We said we would do it, and now we have done it. This time, we’re staying the course,” he emphasized.
The minister also highlighted the government’s focus on agriculture as a critical driver of economic growth, saying efforts are underway to close the food supply gap by empowering local producers.
“We aim to close the food supply gap, not by importing more, but by enabling domestic producers to scale and innovate,” he said.
In the area of infrastructure, Edun announced that 90,000km of fibre optic cable has been rolled out to boost internet connectivity, especially for young Nigerians and the tech ecosystem.
Additionally, 4,000km of roads have been earmarked for private sector participation, with the first 1,000km already approved for construction.
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