The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) have set a committee to resolve the issue of double taxation.
Boat operators within Lagos State would no longer endure double taxations as regulators in the sector have come together to put an end to the challenge.
The operators have been at the receiving end of a long battle between the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government over the right to receive taxes.
The General Manager, LASWA, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, confirmed that a committee had been put together to review tariffs being paid by boat operators.
He said, “There is a committee that is coming together, both LASWA and NIWA. That committee is seeing how we can harmonise the tariffs so we have one purse where money is paid into and revenue shared from that one purse.
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“We are currently having that conversation between the state and the federal to ensure that there is no more double taxation.”
The National President of the Association of Tourism Boats Operators and Water Transporters, Ganiyu Balogun, said the operators and the regulators were on the same page.
He said, “Everybody has to still register their boats with LASWA and NIWA. But we are working it out on how we can combine both agencies together so we would not suffer double taxation.”
Balogun said his association had gone to court to resolve the issue of which agency had the authority to collect taxes from the operators.
