Calabar carnival will be exceptional – Imoke

The governor who met with media practitioners in the state to lay out the contents of this year’s Christmas Carnival Festival said it would be exceptional because of the amount of money several renowned brands like Dangote Group of Companies, First Bank, UNICEM, Guinness Nigeria Plc, amongst others, have pumped into the event, adding that […]

The governor who met with media practitioners in the state to lay out the contents of this year’s Christmas Carnival Festival said it would be exceptional because of the amount of money several renowned brands like Dangote Group of Companies, First Bank, UNICEM, Guinness Nigeria Plc, amongst others, have pumped into the event, adding that as a result, the contents have therefore been expanded with several indigenous creativity.

However, he lamented that despite the huge turnover the people and companies make from the Carnival, they usually do not like to pay tax.

“The Carnival has been a big booster to the economies of the sponsors, that of the people and by extension the state, yet despite the huge impact, the people abhor the idea of paying tax”, he said.

He denied that his government has placed much tax on the event but that there is a minimal tourism levy targeted at customers in the hotels, which are one of the major beneficiaries of the Carnival.

According to him, 1.4 million people attended the event but a greater number is expected in view of the volume of money and exciting contents of this year’s carnival.