Posted by The Port Harcourt Telegraph on
The bold steps taken by the Mayor of Port Harcourt City council, Chief Azubuike Nmerukini, to bring to an end the unwholesome activities of touts and fraudsters within
The bold steps taken by the Mayor of Port Harcourt City council, Chief Azubuike Nmerukini, to bring to an end the unwholesome activities of touts and fraudsters within the areas of authority of the council by the convening of an interactive session last year and the subsequent introduction of a new and effective system of revenue collection, with its back-up bye-laws, have most certainly not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.
This was evidenced when the President of the Rivers State chapter of the Pillar of Associations, and the Managing Director of some Printing Press, Deacon (Hon.) Yellow Tom Edoghotu, fielded questions from this reporter in his office recently.
Deacon Edoghotu gave kudos to the council Boss for this timely step which, accordingly to him, does not only save the business community from the hands of unruly touts but also sets the council on the path to receiving maximum accruable revenue. He explained that the Pillar of Associations, an umbrella body of all trade unions and associations, works hand in hand with the various levels of government (local, state and federal) to create a harmonious working relationship with these levels of government regarding revenue payment and collection, thereby facilitating a peaceful coexistence in the community.
The Pillar President, who also doubles as the President of the master printers' Association Rivers State branch, noted that it was the Pillar of Association that first advised council Chairmen to make public designated bank(s) through which council revenue could be collected from appropriate organizations, and remarked that this has never gone down well with touts.
He urged the city council Mayor to maintain his stand on this method as this is his most viable way of revenue collection, pointing out, however, that a catalogue of expected revenues and levies ought to have been published long before now to give all stakeholders the opportunity to cross-examine them and make valuable contributions.
It would be recalled that the Pillar of Association had sometime dragged the government of Obio/Akpor local government council to court over tout harassment and revenue-related matters, consequent upon which it had come up with the approach or idea of using designated banks for payment, while the association would make itself more relevant by putting its house in order and ensuring that all its members paid up all their legitimate levies and taxes.