Enugu imposes daily taxes on corpses in mortuaries

The Enugu State government has introduced mortuary taxes, which it said is not to generate revenue but to discourage people from taking their dead ones to mortuaries.

In a circular, the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) approved the tax in line with the provisions of section 34 of the Birth, Deaths and Burials Law, Cap. 15 Revised Laws of Enugu State 2004.

“The sum of N40.00 only is to be paid by owners of a corpse once it was not buried within twenty-four hours.

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The total number is still increasing every single day. It is very important for the individuals who own the deceased bodies to make sure they complete the necessary payments before the collection of those bodies for burial. After that, they should submit these payments to the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service, commonly referred to as ESIRS, at any commercial bank. This process is part of the mortuary tax that goes into the Enugu State IGR Account. This information was clearly stated in a circular, though some critics have raised objections against this message and the requirements it outlines.

In response to the concerns raised, Emmanuel Nnamani, who is the executive chairman of ESIRS, took the time to clarify that the tax in question is not something new that has suddenly appeared in the state. He emphasized that this tax has been established and operating under the Enugu State Mortuary Tax Law, which has been in place for a number of years now.