Suleiman Anyalewechi, Aba
For the umpteenth time, the Chairman of All Chairmen of Aba Markets, Sir Alphonsus Udeigbo, has called on the leaderships, traders and other market users in the commercial hub of Abia State to avoid any act that may force the state authorities to take actions capable of disrupting their business activities, especially this festive period.
This is even as the Chairman of Ngwa Road Market and Vice Chairman of All Market Chairmen, Dr Uche Anyanwu has noted that the Dr Alex Otti led administration in the state is ever ready to work for the people, but cannot do so without the people observing their civic obligations.
The duo spoke on Wednesday, November 6, 2023 during the concluding phase of the tour of all markets in the commercial city.
Newscritic.com.ng reports that the tour was meant to ascertain the problems, and challenges facing each of the markets and to sensitize the traders and other market users on the need to pay their 2023 statutory levies to the government.
Chief Udeigbo who was visibly angry with the abysmal attitude and compliance level of the various market leaderships, and traders with the payment of the statutory levies said, government is set to go tough on defaulters with a view to recovering its money.
Chief Udeigbo who is also the Chairman of Eziukwu Road market advised the leaderships and traders at Aba markets to pay their levies to avoid having their shops and business premises sealed by the government, adding that such disruptive measures will not augur well for their business growth particularly during this festive period.
Newscritic.com.ng reports that the Abia State government had on November 20, 2023 through Prof Ogbonna Udechukwu, Executive Chairman, Board of Internal Revenue written to and solicited the support and cooperation of all security agencies in the state, as it is set to embark on the enforcement of the collection of its 2023 statutory levies from traders and transport operators across the state.
Chief Udeigbo lamented a situation where people will consistently be making demands from the government of the day, but will be unwilling to meet their own part of the social contract.
“This government has within the short period of its existence rehabilitated and reconstructed many roads, some of them leading to and from the various markets.
Now if you say you will not pay your levies because you have not been paying before, how do you expect the roads leading to various markets to be maintained? Udeigbo noted.
Dr Anyanwu appealed to the traders to support the efforts of the government to rebuild the state, by paying their taxes and levies promptly.
“Abia state has suffered so much in the last few years. Now the present government has demonstrated that it is all out to rebuild the system.
But the fact is that it cannot achieve anything without the necessary funds. It can only function effectively when we the people support it by observing our civic obligations.
There is no sense in the argument that the traders have not been paying levies before’ Anyanwu stated.
Newscritc.com.ng reports that with the conclusion of the sensitization tour of the markets by the Markets leaders, the stage appears set for the government enforcement of collection exercise.