The Kogi State government is to prevent students whose parents do not have tax clearance certificates to be registered in the state’s schools.
Parents, rights activists, and concerned educationists have condemned the policy saying it was a way to prevent the children of the poor from going to school.
This was contained in a memo issued from the Chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue Services, Sule Enehe to schools in late November last year.
The memo stated that students who failed to present a verifiable tax clearance certificate from their parents would not continue their education in the state.
Kogi-based legal practitioner and rights activist, Arome Odoma, issued “A Pre-Action Notice Against Kogi State’s Policy on Parental Tax Clearance for Student Registration: A Fight for Educational Justice.”
Odoma who is challenging the legality of the policy, in a pre-action notice addressed to the Governor of the State, Ahmed Usman Ododo, and the Chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue Service, laid bare the policy’s flaws, branding it “repugnant to natural justice, equity, and good conscience.”
A copy of the notice which was made available to newsmen in Lokoja on Sunday read parts:
“I read a memo from the office of the Chairman Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue Service dated the 26th November, 2024 mandating institutions of learning not to register any student without a verifiable parent’s tax clearance certificate.
“This policy is not only repugnant to Natural Justice, Equity and good conscience but also an attempt to deprive the future leaders their right to education.
“The Chairman of the board should take note that education is not a privilege but a right, it then goes to say that education is legally guaranteed for all without discrimination. All states including Kogi State has the duty to protect, respect and fulfill the right of education of her citizens without discrimination.
“This policy is purely incongruous to the people’s right to education and we will hold the State accountable for violation and deprivation of our people’s right to education.
“How does it concern an innocent child/Student whose duty is not to enforce tax payment to suffer from noncompliance of his parent to pay tax to Kogi State Government. We should also take note that we were once children of no body before we became somebody.
“Our quest to satisfy the financial urge of the government should not deprive the citizens of their fundamental rights especially that of education which is not freely given. I have seen some students without parents or guardians struggling to sponsor themselves with hard labour. Some of our Governors and Senators in Nigeria didn’t grow with parental support but via being determined and focused to achieve education.
“I know the current Governor of Kogi State, the person of Alhaji Usman Ododo, his style of leadership to the best of my knowledge is not in conformity with this obnoxious policy made in violation of people’s right to education and I am of a strong view that the said policy be reversed for the following reasons:
“It is a violation of people’s right to education. It affects the Internally Generated Revenue (I.G.R.) of the institutions of learning owing to the deprivation of the right to register both as fresh or returning students.
“His Excellency’s Government has not and should not be seen as a Government that will pose untold hardship on the people. I have identified his government to be a friendly government and as such should thread the path of honour by reversing the said policy before the 10th day of January 2025 or I shall humbly take the option of litigation against the government in the protection of the people’s right to education.”
Also, a concerned parent, Mr. Elesho Emmanuel said the state government policy is not only anti-education but anti-human. He wondered why the, “sin of the father, should be visited on the children.
“Governor Ododo must have been misled by his advisers in their drive to just generate revenue at all course. This anti-human policy is not known anywhere. It is bad and should be reverse quickly.”
Also, the National Commissioner in Charge of the Right to Education at the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria, NHRC, Sir Agabaidu Jideani, had called on Governor Usman Ododo, to find a policy mix that prioritizes the right to education of children in Kogi State while seeking tax compliance by school children’s parents.
“I appreciate the efforts of the Kogi State Government to ensure tax compliance among its citizens, particularly parents.
“However, I strongly believe that the recent memo issued by the Chairman of the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue Service, which mandates institutions of learning to refuse registration to students without a verifiable tax clearance certificate from their parents, may inadvertently deny children their right to education, “he insisted.