…Condemn Incessant Harassment, Intimidation
By Uzoma Nzeagwu
Stakeholders in Anambra State have charged the State government to take urgent step and harmonize tax regime paid in the State.
The stakeholders including, traders, market women, artisans, tricycle operators among others also condemned the harassment, cessation of wares displayed by market women/traders and abuses received from revenue collectors, even as they charged government to immediately check the excesses of the revenue collectors and call them to other.
These observations were the views of participant at a one day workshop organized by the Civil Rights Concern, CRS, Hope Givers Initiatives, Civil Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, and supported by Christian Aid Nig, held in Awka, Anambra State capital yesterday.
Speaking in an interview, the Executive Director, Civil Rights concern, Comrade Okey Onyeka, explained that citizens have rights and obligations to pay tax, while the government provides services including guaranteeing their security and well being, as he identified taxes collected by government to include income, capitation, market fee, levies etc, insisting that traders, artisans and business owners pay much taxes.
He said, “Citizens are complaining about the various taxes they pay to state and Local governments,… also raised issues like fake revenue collectors, double taxation and infringement on their rights at various markets in the state”, Comrade Onyeka observed and urged state government to go extra mile in checking excesses of and control of fake revenue collectors in Anambra markets. Our meeting has tried to identify all these taxes, we will pass information gathered to the government so as to reform and address this multiple tax regime.
Also speaking, the Executive Director, Hope Givers Initiative, Mrs Onyeka Ude identified multiple taxation as a complex problem which can easily be solved through harmonization exercise.
“The Harassment of traders and market women by tax enforcement Agents must stop. Government should endeavor to make tax payment easy. We will also involve lots of sensitization, involve dialogues and advocacy, we will also begin to engage with people responsible, hear from them and get the government to do the needful. There’s also need for Anambra State Government to harmonize all forms of taxes.
“As Civil Society Organization, we will come up with a document that represents views from various market groups: pass it to the government for deliberation and consideration”, she said, insisting that the sensitization involves a continuous process.
In various interviews, the participants including the President General Amalgamated Traders & Artesian Workers Association Anambra State, at ATAWA, Mr. Peter Nwaogbodo, condemned the various amount paid by his members like Television license N5,000, Dry Cleaners N5,000, Photographers N5,000 monthly, declaring its outrageous, while Engr. Anthony Aniebue from the society for sustainable Development said, “There is need for the government to harmonize tax regime”.
Mrs Uche Nwakha, a trader at Amansea said, “we pay double taxation, though government claims it has harmonized the system. Today it is worse and a big problem because councils and state government collect the same tax. We need to understand the category of taxes we are paying”.
