Ayobamiji Komolafe 
On Saturday, the Enugu State Government provided clarification on its decision to impose a daily mortuary tax.
The Executive Chairman of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), Emmanuel Nnamani made the clarification in response to a circular that had sparked public concern.
The government emphasized that the move is not motivated by revenue generation but rather to discourage extended storage of corpses in mortuaries.
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Nnamani who explained that the tax is N40 per day, not N40,000 as rumoured on social media noted that it is to be paid by mortuary operators rather than the families of the deceased.
He also added that the law governing this tax has been in existence for years under the Enugu State Mortuary Tax Law, which is rooted in section 34 of the Birth, Deaths, and Burials Law Cap 15, Revised Laws of Enugu State 2004.
According to Nnamani, the tax is intended to discourage the practice of leaving corpses in mortuaries for prolonged periods.
For instance, if a corpse remains in the mortuary for 100 days, the mortuary will be required to pay N4,000 to the state.
Nnamani reassured the public that no one has been prevented from burying their loved ones due to the tax.
The circular instructed mortuary operators to ensure payment is made before corpses are released for burial and to remit the taxes to the Enugu State IGR Account.
