Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Business and economic activities were brought to a halt in Onitsha, Anambra state following the sealing of business areas and shops along major roads and streets by the task force on tax enforcement.
The task force as earlier as 5am stormed the streets of Onitsha to used ribbon to seal shops and streets markets for allegedly failing to pay for revenue accrued to the state government thereby creating tension and confusion in the area.
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 realized that their premises have been sealed by the task force over non payment of revenue to the state government.
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).
He noted that anybody shop owner who paid the levies with receipts as an evidence, his or she shop would be opened for business, stressing that the enforcement was for 2018, 2019 and not 2020.
Some of the traders and shop owners who spoke with Daily Sun condemned the insensitivity of the state government to ground their businesses where they feed their families especially during this COVID-19 lockdown.
They appealed to the governor Willie Obiano to consider the poor masses to reopen their business areas amidst Coronavirus pandemics and wave the tax for the traders and business owners.