From Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki
Men of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in collaboration with members of Ebonyi Internal Revenue Board have arrested five suspected illegal revenue collectors in Abakaliki.
The suspects were arrested in different locations at the international market collecting illegal tax from petty traders.
Some of the market women said the illegal revenue collectors had been a thorn in their flesh, as they collect between N50 and N100 daily or they would carry their goods pending when they pay.
Leader of the Revenue Board team, Mr Emmanuel Elechi, who is also incharge of Information and Communication Technology in the board, said the arrest of the suspects was based on incessant violation of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s directive of exempting petty traders and vegetable sellers from revenue payment.
“We are determined to flush out illegal revenue collectors who bet on tarnishing the image of the board. We must adhere strictly to the directive of the governor to allow petty traders and vegetable sellers to do their business without paying tax. Our governor knows what the poor are passing through and decided to reduce their hardship, but some people are sabotaging the gesture in a bid to enrich themselves. We cannot tolerate that, we shall continue to arrest and prosecute them to serve as a deterrent to others”.
In a related development, the board also flagged-off the automation of e-ticketing for commercial motorcycles and tricycle operators to checkmate crime and close revenue leakages.
The exercise which was flagged-off by the Chairman of the State Revenue Board, Chief Christopher Omo-Isu noted that profiling of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in the state would reduce crime and stop double taxation.
He said with the profiling and automation of revenue generation, any operator that uses his motorcycle or tricycle to commit crime would be traced, arrested and prosecuted.
Omo-Isu noted that the new innovation would reduce touting in markets, streets and major roads, as the operators are expected to go to registration points to register within two weeks after which enforcement would commence.
He urged the people to key into the new system that would bring sanity and safety to the revenue drive and reduce the fight between touts and operators.
