Photo Credit: Sunnewsonline.com
Business owners in Onitsha have appealed to Governor Willie Obiano to give directives for their shops to be re-opened following the closure of their shops by the Task Force on tax enforcement.
According to reports, the Task Force stormed major roads and streets of Onitsha as early as 5 a.m. using ribbons to seal off shops and street markets for allegedly failing to pay for revenue accrued to the State government.
The situation created tension and confusion in the area. As a matter of fact, the areas affected include Old Market road, New Market road, Iboku street, Obanye street, Williams street among other areas in Onitsha.
The shop owners came this morning to realize that their premises have been sealed by the task force over nonpayment of revenue to the state government. According to one of the Task Force leaders who gave his name as Uche, he stated that they were working in collaboration with the Board of Internal Revenue to enforce the payment of Traders tax/Business levy (N3000), Development levy (N2000), Environmental Sanitation levy (N2400) and penalty for not paying in time (N3000).
One of the leaders of the task force who gave his name as Uche said that they were working in collaboration with the Board of Internal Revenue to enforce the payment of Traders tax/Business levy (N3000), Development levy (N2000), Environmental Sanitation levy (N2400) and penalty for not paying in time (N3000).
Furthermore, he noted that only shop owners who had paid their levies and had evidence of payment will be allowed to open for business. In fact, the enforcement was for the years 2018 through to 2020.
The traders who were displeased with the situation condemned the insensitivity of the State government to ground their businesses where they feed their families, especially during this COVID-19 lockdown. However, they appealed to the Governor to consider the poor masses, reopen their business, and wave the tax for the traders and business owners.
InlandTown! 2020
