The Enugu State Government has clarified that the recently highlighted tax imposed on corpses in mortuaries is not aimed at boosting revenue generation. The clarification comes following public reactions to a circular that outlined the tax requirement for corpses kept in mortuaries across the state.
Mr. Emmanuel Nnamani, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), addressed the issue, explaining that the tax aligns with Section 34 of the Births, Deaths, and Burials Law, Cap 15 of the Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004. The circular instructed mortuary attendants to ensure the implementation of the Mortuary Tax.
According to the circular, a daily fee of N40 is to be paid by mortuary owners for any corpse that remains unburied after 24 hours. The charge continues to accrue for every day the body is stored beyond the initial period.
"Ensure that owners of corpses make the payment before collecting the bodies for burial, and remit the payment to ESIRS in any commercial bank under the Mortuary Tax in Enugu State IGR Account," the circular stated.
Responding to concerns, Nnamani emphasized that the tax is not new and has been in place for years as part of the state's mortuary regulations. He clarified that the tax amounts to N40 per day and not N40,000, as some had misunderstood. He further explained that the tax is an indirect charge on mortuary owners, not on the deceased’s family.
“It is N40 per day, not N40,000. The mortuary owners pay it, not the families. If a body stays in a mortuary for 100 days, the total payable would be N4,000," Nnamani explained.
He added that the purpose of the tax is not to raise revenue, but rather to discourage the long-term storage of corpses in mortuaries. Nnamani assured that no family has been denied the opportunity to bury their loved ones due to the tax.
This clarification comes as the state seeks to manage its mortuary services while encouraging prompt burials within the community.
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