Africa’s richest business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday described Lagos as the most convenient and peaceful state for doing business.
“I am not advertising for Lagos, but try another state, you will see hell,’’ he said in a terse remark at the forum of `Lagos Means Business’’.
He also supported the Governor Akinwumi Ambode’s appeal to Lagos residents and business community to continue to pay tax.
“You should pay your taxes to Lagos state,’’ Dangote said.
During the question and answer session, Ambode assured every Lagosian that he would make their taxes work for them with a transparent and incorruptible government with good value for taxes paid.
“We are not true citizens until we become responsible taxpayers.
“If the vision of a prosperous Lagos is to be achieved, the State must retreat from borrowing to finance its infrastructure and pay back later in the future with a high interest rate.’’
He also appealed to residents to embrace the Land Use Charge and ensure that commercial property owners pay the charge.
The governor explained that pensioners, owner-occupiers, NGOs, churches and Mosques are exempted from the payment of Land Use Charge.
“The good part of the arguments trailing the Lagos Land Use Charge is that the State Government is ready for dialogue and will welcome the complaints of dissatisfied members of the public in this regard.
“The good part of the arguments trailing the Lagos Land Use Charge is that the State Government is ready for dialogue.
“Business owners paying Land Use Charge should see it as part of their Corporate Social Responsibilities.’’
He also urged citizens to have a change of orientation on how government’s properties were handled.
“The properties should be protected so that resources expended on repairs could be channelled to other areas of needs.’’
“Although the state spends a large chunk of its revenue on recurrent charges, but could not retrench civil servant.
“They are only about 103,000 taking care of 24 million people. They help to keep the social fabric together,’’ he said.
