The Enugu State Government has introduced a daily tax of N40 on corpses kept in mortuaries within the state.
The Executive Chairperson of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service, Emmanuel Nnamani, revealed this in a circular issued on September 17.
Mr. Nnamani stated that the tax was in accordance with Section 34 of the Births, Deaths, and Burials Law Cap 15 Revised Laws of Enugu State 2004.
“The sum of N40 is to be paid by the relatives or owners of a corpse if it is not buried within 24 hours. The amount continues to accumulate daily,” he explained in the circular.
The chairperson directed mortuary management to ensure that the tax is paid before releasing any corpse to its owners. He also instructed the management to remit the collected payments to the agency via the state’s internally generated revenue account.
Why the Tax Was Imposed
The imposition of the tax has generated various reactions across Enugu State, with some rumors suggesting that the tax had been increased to N40,000.
Responding to the concerns, Mr. Nnamani clarified in a statement on Sunday that the tax is not new, as the law has been in existence since 2004.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the N40 daily tax imposed by the Births, Deaths, and Burials Law Cap 15 Revised Laws of Enugu State 2004 was part of efforts by the administration to address the unhealthy practice of bereaved families congesting morgues with bodies for several months, and in some cases, even years,” he explained.
Mr. Nnamani refuted the claim that the tax had been raised to N40,000, emphasizing that the tax remains at N40 per day.
“Although the value of N40 was more significant when the law was enacted in 2004, the state government has not found it necessary to increase it,” he said.
The chairperson further added, “The government’s priority is to encourage the people of Enugu to bury their deceased loved ones promptly and then take their time to prepare for the funeral, rather than leaving the bodies in morgues for extended periods.”
