Tag: INFORMATION MINISTRY

INFORMATION MINISTRY, ONITSHA NORTH LGA DEEPEN COLLABORATION TO SUPPORT SOLUDO’S DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

By Rose Oranye

The Anambra State Ministry of Information and Value Reformation and Onitsha North Local Government Area have deepened their collaboration to support Governor Charles Soludo’s development agenda, focusing on value reformation, market modernisation, and improved service delivery at the grassroots.

This agreement was the outcome of the visit of the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, to the Mayor of Onitsha North LGA, Hon. Tony Nwora, at the council secretariat in Onitsha.

Dr Mefor, who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Obiageli Uchebo, and some staff of the ministry, said the visit was strategic given the economic importance of Onitsha North, especially with the ongoing modernisation of the Onitsha Main Market, which Governor Soludo has described as a “signature project”.

“Thanks for your efforts in remodelling the Onitsha Main Market by the state government. The cooperation of the local governments is vital. The governor has said that the Main Market is an Igbo identity. We need to give it a befitting face-lift so that it reflects what the world expects of Anambra and thinks about Onitsha Main Market,” he stated.

He explained that the Ministry of Information is expanding its mandate to activate the value reformation agenda with the cooperation of all mayors, working alongside stakeholders, CSOs, and CBOs. He mentioned legislation, moral suasion, and enforcement as a triadic approach to actualising the agenda.

The commissioner also identified signage, revenue, and environmental law enforcement as three areas where state and local government functions overlap, and called for better coordination between the local government team and the Anambra Signage and Advertisement Agency (ANSAA), Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS), and other relevant agencies to prevent conflicts and double taxation.

He expressed dissatisfaction with complaints of harshness and extortion by some agents enforcing environmental laws, stressing that the goal is a clean environment, not necessarily revenue generation, and urged enforcement officers to act with a human face, even as he reiterated the governor’s directive on zero cash collection.

He further explained that the ministry has posted information officers to LGAs to monitor activities for publicity and urged the mayor always to carry them along.

Responding, Mayor Nwora said the LGA was the first in the state to go cashless, having developed an app for revenue collection that enumerates stores. He said the new revenue structure with the state has largely addressed multiple taxation, and specific windows have been allocated to LGAs.

The mayor also said that sanitation and security remained top priorities. “All drainages in Onitsha North are clear. That is why the governor’s state of emergency was just another day for us,” he said.

He announced that Onitsha North is now a sister city to a Chinese city, with a delegation expected next month to partner on waste-to-power and sanitation.

On complaints against enforcement officers, the mayor assured that the council is collaborating with the state to ensure enforcement remains “firm but humane”.

INFORMATION MINISTRY, AIRS TO DEEPEN COLLABORATION ON TAX EDUCATION TO SUPPORT SOLUDO’S MEGA PROJECTS

By Rose Oranye

The Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS), Mr Ikeazor Nnaemeka Okonkwo, at the Revenue House, Awka, to forge a partnership on tax education and compliance.

Addressing the AIRS team, Dr Mefor said the Ministry of Information would strengthen AIRS through public education on tax compliance and enforcement. “We have come so that we strengthen you and assure you of partnership… It has become very necessary, given the fact that I know people don’t like paying taxes. So what do we do? Instead of enforcing it, we should first talk to them and add “persuasion”, then enforcement.

The commissioner noted that many Anambra residents, especially in rural and informal sectors, lack adequate knowledge of taxation.

“To be fair to our people, they have not been educated enough on the issues of tax… Many of them, particularly those you find in the informal sector, have quite a small economy. So whatever they take out of it, even N100 means a lot to them. They have to be taught why their tax, no matter how small, is important—helping the solution governor to deliver on the major projects and policies that will turn Anambra into one smart megacity.”

Dr Mefor linked tax compliance to Governor Charles Soludo’s massive projects like the five dual carriageways, new general hospitals, free education and healthcare, and five new cities, among others.

“When you see the level, the magnitude of work being done by the Solution Governor… you will see that indeed the money is needed… Anambra is not really a rich state. The fact that Soludo is doing so much with so little is born out of his intentional and transformational leadership and extremely prudent economic management.”

He proposed a “full-blown media campaign” to educate citizens, with a joint team of ministry and AIRS staff to drive it. Dr Mefor also offered AIRS the platform of his flagship radio program, ‘Ask The Commissioner’, for direct engagement with the people of Anambra on tax issues.

Responding, the AIRS Chairman, Mr Ikeazor Nnaemeka Okonkwo, welcomed the collaboration.

“We welcome this development and this understanding that we hope to create… Trying to get the citizens to comply is a two-pronged approach.”

He clarified that AIRS is not introducing new taxes or increasing rates but implementing existing laws, including the Nigerian Tax Act 2025.

“For us to get the kind of money that is required to build these building blocks that Mr Governor has excellently put together, people need to pay their taxes.”

ANAMBRA INFORMATION MINISTRY TO RESTRATEGISE FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION OF GOVT POLICIES

By Rose Oranye :

Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor has stressed the need for the Ministry of Information to make strategic plans towards effective communication of government programs and policies.

Addressing heads of agencies under the ministry in a meeting, held today, September 19, 2024, in his office at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat Complex, Awka, the commissioner, who assumed office on Monday, called on the agencies to work towards developing appropriate messages that will communicate the numerous achievements of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s administration to all the nooks and crannies of the state and beyond.

According to him, “there’s need for town hall meetings with critical stakeholders of all the communities in the 21 local government areas of the state; which will help to get first hand information on the needs of the people apart from communicating government policies directly to them.

Dr Mefor further disclosed that he’s planning to organize a Strategic Communication Committee that will help develop appropriate messages with which they will reach out to Ndị Anambra by getting people outside the state.

“If people outside government talk about government policies, it will go a long way,” he said.

In their separate remarks, the Managing Director, Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Chris Molokwu, Managing Director, Anambra State Library Board, Mrs Obioma Cordelia Obalum and Managing Director, Anambra State Signage Advertising Agency(ANSAA), Tony Ujubuonu, ably represented by the General Manager of the agency, Mr Chijioke Agbai assured they would align with the commissioner’s vision by doing whatever is required of them.

In a vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Barr. Ndirika Onyekwelu commended the commissioner for running an open door policy, and observed that with the synergy spirit witnessed in the meeting, the ministry will definitely achieve better.