B Godwin Okeh, Abakaliki
Ebonyi state Governor David Umahi on Monday has said that the collection of income tax and other unauthorized revenues from market women in the state is illegal.
He also announced the suspension of every revenue collection in the local government areas in the state till further notice.
Umahi made this known while addressing stakeholders at the Town Hall meeting which took place at the Pa Oruta Ngele Stadium Abakaliki.
The governor gave the order following complaints from market women in the state, through their Leader, Mrs Akoji Agnes, of illegal collection by some fraudsters and illegal revenue collectors.
He also directed that no Levy or tax should be collected from women selling vegetables and other perishables in the open market.
“All these women who don’t have shops and who are selling vegetables, nobody should collect any tax or Levy from them again”.
Acording to him, those who have stalls or shops in any market in the state should pay only the consolidated revenue agreed by the state government with Leaders of various markets in the state.
He regretted that fraudsters have capitalized on ignorance of the people on the harmonised consolidated revenue to defraud traders and landlords in the state.
He directed the Deputy Governor, Kelechi Igwe to set up a committee on revenue to hold a meeting with market women, traders, Council Chairman, Traditional Rulers and other stakeholders to come up with an acceptable revenue they are to pay.
“Nobody should overburden these women and the poor people with heavy taxation which they cannot pay. The worst part is that they collect these illegal revenues in the name of government and in my name” he added.
The governor also suspended collection of previous years’ revenue until the harmonisation of the revenues.
