Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of Enugu State has inaugurated a nine-man committee to undertake a comprehensive review of tax policies, rates, levies, and fees administered by the state government, with Hon. Dr. Chinedu Mbah, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Markets, appointed as one of its key members in recognition of his impactful contributions to market harmonisation and conflict resolution across the state.
The committee is mandated to benchmark Enugu’s revenue practices against Lagos, Abuja, and other South-East states, focusing on Land Use Charge, Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) fees, market levies and stall rents, business premises registration, signage and advertisement fees, and other state-controlled revenue lines. Its assignment, expected to be completed within two weeks, aims to produce reforms that will enhance transparency, fairness, compliance, and overall revenue efficiency.
Hon. Dr. Chinedu Mbah’s inclusion in the committee follows what was described as his critical interventions in reorganising market structures across the state. Through his office, he has played a central role in harmonising traders, market unions, and market leaderships, settling long-standing leadership disputes in various markets and restoring peace, coordination, and orderliness to commercial centres in Enugu State. His expertise in market administration is expected to significantly enrich the committee’s work, especially in the areas of market levies, stall rents, and revenue harmonisation.
The committee is chaired by the Solicitor-General of Enugu State, Ikechukwu Ezenwukwa, with Adenike Okebu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Revenue Mobilisation, serving as a member. Other members include the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Enugu State chapter, Comrade Ben Asogwa; Chairman of the State Market Association, Chief Chinwuba Igwesi; Head of Legal, Enugu State Internal Revenue Service, Ngozi Ezema; 1st Deputy President of ECCIMA, Engr. Nnanyelugo Onyemelukwe; Deputy Council Chairman and ALGON representative, Hon. Paul Okwo; and representative of the civil society, Barr. Crownwell Chibuzo.
Inaugurating the committee at Government House, Enugu, Governor Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Onyia stated that the committee was carefully selected by the governor based on the distinguished track records, integrity, and proven competence of its members. He noted that each appointee was chosen for their capacity to deliver results, their commitment to public service, and their ability to approach the assignment with diligence, professionalism, and a deep understanding of the state’s developmental priorities. He added that the governor’s intention was to assemble a team capable of executing this critical task with excellence and total dedication.
He added that the decision to set up the committee was driven by numerous public complaints regarding tax administration and the operations of state-controlled revenue heads. He outlined the terms of reference to include reviewing existing harmonisation and revenue-related laws; assessing their implementation and impact; identifying all state-controlled revenue heads; eliminating instances of duplication and multiple taxation; examining issues associated with tax expansion and a culture of non-tax payment; and evaluating fairness, transparency, and efficiency in the tax collection process. He tasked the committee to adopt an inclusive approach by engaging property owners, traders, business operators, civil society groups, local government revenue officers, and council chairmen through surveys and interviews.
The governor also shed light on ongoing fiscal reforms under his administration, explaining that upon assumption of office, government dismantled the fragmented, cash-based revenue collection model and replaced it with a unified, digital, data-driven ecosystem. He noted that the abolition of cash collection across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies marked a decisive shift toward transparency, traceability, and accountability. According to him, routing payments through digital platforms has enabled real-time monitoring, reduced leakages, curbed fraudulent practices, and boosted citizens’ confidence. He further highlighted the introduction of a Performance Appraisal Framework, which now assigns revenue targets to each MDA in line with its mandate.
Governor Mbah emphasised that revenue remains a moral obligation to the people, stressing that every naira collected must translate into better roads, improved water supply, quality education, and a brighter future for Enugu State.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Chairman Ikechukwu Ezenwukwa thanked the governor for entrusting them with the assignment, describing the move as a testament to Governor Mbah’s listening leadership style.
Hon. Dr. Chinedu Mbah also expressed deep appreciation to the governor for his appointment, assuring that he would bring his experience in market coordination, trader engagement, and dispute resolution to bear on the committee’s work. He pledged to work closely with other members to deliver reforms that would enhance transparency, restore confidence, and strengthen revenue administration across Enugu State.
