Enugu Government Clarifies Reasons For Implementing Tax On Burials

Enugu Government Clarifies Reasons For Implementing Tax On BurialsThe Enugu State Government has clarified that the recently imposed tax on corpses in mortuaries is not driven by a revenue generation motive.

Mr. Emmanuel Nnamani, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), made this statement in response to a circular regarding the Mortuary Tax directed at all mortuary attendants. The circular indicates that the tax is in accordance with Section 34 of the Births, Deaths, and Burials Law, Cap 15 of the Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004.

According to the circular, a fee of N40 is to be paid by the owners of a corpse if burial does not occur within 24 hours, with the fee accumulating daily. “Owners of corpses must ensure that payments are made prior to the collection of the bodies for burial and remit the amount to the ESIRS through any commercial bank under the mortuary tax in the Enugu State IGR Account,” it stated.

In his response, Nnamani emphasized that this tax is not new and has been part of the Enugu State Mortuary Tax Law for several years. He clarified that the tax amount is N40 per day, not N40,000. “It is an indirect tax imposed on mortuary owners, not on the families of the deceased, and it is only N40, not N40,000. Since its implementation, no one has been denied the right to bury their loved ones,” he stated.

Nnamani explained that if a corpse remains in the mortuary for 100 days, the mortuary would be responsible for paying a total of N4,000 to the state. He reiterated that the purpose of the tax is not to generate revenue but rather to discourage individuals from keeping the deceased in mortuaries for extended periods.

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