Pest Control Association of Nigeria (PECAN), has called on the government and relevant regulatory agencies to tackle the challenge of multiple taxes encountered by its members, especially in Lagos.
President, PECAN, Kunle Williams, made the appeal at a proficiency seminar/exhibition on integrated pest management organised by the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), in collaboration with Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), and PECAN.
Williams said his colleagues have had a challenge with various environmental officers of local government areas on double taxation.
According to him, the law only permits practitioners to pay a sum of N10, 000 per annum to secure a permit to operate in a local government.
“The constitution says the charge is not less than N10,000 per annum. We have experiences in some local governments, especially in Lagos, that people pay as much as N300,000 and if you don’t pay, they go to your clients and tell them that you are a quack and introduce them to a competitor,” he said.
Williams noted that the challenge among others necessitated the seminar, which is meant to provide a meeting an interface between the regulators and the practitioner.
“We are trying to ensure the regulators deal with registered and licensed practitioners. We are all working together to fight quackery. It is aimed at enlightening the public and practitioners,” he said.
General Manager, LASEPA, Mrs. Adedolapo Fasawe, said the governor of Lagos frowns at double taxation. She urged pest control officers not to allow themselves to be bullied by some authorities.
She said: “Sometimes in the course of doing our work, some people get overzealous, and some do not update themselves of the current laws. We are working hard with the Ministry of Local Government to ensure there is no double taxation in pest control.”
