Fasilat Oluwuyi
For students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, the introduction of tax clearance– a receipt mandatory to complete student’s registration– has become a compelling headache. The stress encountered by students to obtain the receipt here is unbearable.
The Ogun State Government, had just recently reintroduce the submission of tax clearance for fresh students or the payment of N10,100 to obatined one.
The amount is meant to be paid by students who’s parents are not working in Ogun state or do not have the receipt.
This payment was made compulsory for the National Diploma (ND1) and the Higher National Diploma Students(HND1).
Only Ogun tax clearance allowed
For the ND1 and HND1 students to complete their registration and be able to sit for the second semester exam the payment of N10,100 tax clearance by the students is compulsory.
The students says no tax clearance from other state is acceptable to complete their registration except the one paid in Ogun State.
” We are not allowed to use any other state tax clearance, even Lagos own is not acceptable only the one paid to the Ogun state Government can be accepted from us”
It then became compulsory for the students who’s parents do not have an evidence of tax payment to the Ogun State to pay before they are allowed to complete their registration.
No tax clearance, No exam
Students in ND1 and HND1 it was gathered were told they would not be allowed to sit for the second semester exam if they fail to provide an evidence of tax payment.
As the exams draws near, students thronged out in numbers to get the tax clearance done at the linkages a venue where the payment is been made to be able to complete their registration.
A student said” They told us specifically if we do not come with the tax clearance there is no way we will be allowed to write the exam.We can’t even get exam pass without it”
Exam tension, unbearable stress
The National Diploma Student (ND1) whose exam were scheduled to start on Friday we’re apprehensive as most of them were yet to get the tax clearance done.
Many of the students claimed that the process is strenuous as the large crowd of students from all the payment had the option of paying in the same place in school while those who cannot afford to go through the stress pay outside the school premises.
According to the students, “the crowd is usually large and we ended up coming here for three good days before we could get the tax clearance done”
This and many more are numerous complaints from the students who’s fate of writing exam hanged in the balance without an evidence of tax payment.
As the ND1 students are set to commence their second semester exams Friday, a large percentage of the students are yet to be done with tax clearance issues.
This student are nursing the fear that there will not be allowed to sit for exam with their colleagues who have gotten their tax clearance done.
” I want to start exam tomorrow yet am here still battling with tax clearance issues. How do I even read for exam, lamented Busola, an ND1 Marketing student.
For Busola and her colleagues, reading and battling with tax clearance is a big problem.
A student of Accountancy identified as Mariam said ” I have exam tomorrow yet have not been able to sit down and have my brain settled for this exam”.
” Is it a crime to go to school? See all my body, we were pushing ourselves, before I could get the form it was as if I was about to faint. I have been here since 6:00pm, my name was number 44 on the list and they later didn’t use the list.Up till now I have not been able to get the task clearance but I have paid.
“I paid N10, 100, I didn’t pay for any verification only those who did their tax clearance in Oke-Mosan are to ensure they get verified.”.
Another ND1 Accountancy student, stated she has paid the school fees since last month but could not collect exam pass due to the tax clearance.
“We want to write exam tomorrow and we have paid school fees since last month we can not collect exam pass without this tax clearance.The Management should find something to this thing, see me am not even feeling fine am on drip I had to remove my drip to come to school. This is the third time am coming here. “
Tax clearance payment fuelling extortion- student alleges
A student who spoke to Press Club MAPOLY on the condition of anonymity alleged that some students were been extorted at the venue and made to pay more than the N10,100 adding that 80percent of the students are yet to complete their tax clearance.
” We met with our subdean, to propose a postponment of the exam due to students who have not paid their school fees and those who are still having issues with tax clearance but the only excuse that was given to us was that SIWES ought to have commenced for the full time students and the fresh students should have resumed on campus.”
Also, another student claimed that the venue was used by some set of people on Thursday to make money.
” On Thursday we had a separate line for those who wanted their tax clearance done very quickly. The line was was for those who wanted to do it sharp sharp. I was asked to come and pay N15, 000 but I ignored”.
A student identified as Olamide further lamented saying,she was sick and receiving treatment at the hospital but had to get her drip removed to come for the tax clearance.
“Because of this tax clearance I have to remove this drip and come to this place. It’s not easy since we’ve been coming here we’ve just been able to pay today.I have been here since 5:00 all because of this tax clearance, I treeked from my house in Japo to school, I was number 6 on the list but they later didn’t use the list, we rough it before we were able to collect form. I have submitted the list I don’t know maybe they will still call us and we are starting exam tomorrow and we’ve not collected exam pass.”
Olamide appealed to the management to to come to their aid.”The Management should come and help us, maybe they should postpone the exam till Monday. Most of us here have not collected exam pass, how do we write exam? Our mind is not even settled to read for the exam.”
Cash payment making payment difficult
Students who were at the venue to pay also lamented saying the cash payment the officials are accepting for payment is making the payment process difficult.
” They are collecting cash from the students, the whole thing is rough. It’s not accordingly, had it been the list we wrote in the morning was followed it would have gone far than this. Before they even get to the front to pay. Most people end of getting injured and living this place with bruises all over. But we have no choice.”lamented Mariam a Pharmaceutical Technology Student.
Taiwo another student of Marketing also pleaded with the management to give them enough time.
No student will miss exam because of tax clearance- DSA assures
Addressing the students at the payment venue, the Directorate of Students’ Affairs, Dr. Olusegun Anikan assured that no student will miss the exam because of tax clearance.
Anikan said the management is working out modalities to ease the stress and issues of tax clearance.
“The assurance is that nobody will suffer because of this thing, so you should relax be steady and behave well. So they will do whatever they can do and we’ll also try.Those who are unable to pay, I can assure you that you can not miss the exam because of that.”
The DSA blamed the students for not paying for the tax clearance at the right time.He however apologized and appealed to them to remain calm adding there won’t be any problem.
“You know this thing suppose to have been paid last semester but we pushed it.You yourself you don’t even bother now see what you’re going through, Sorry.There will be no problem there is no stress about that try behave well, those who are unable to pay we’ll know what to do.”
Meanwhile, the Management of the Polytechnic has postponed the examination date to Monday to ease students registration.