Posted by Enyim Enyim on
BUSINESS activities were weekend paralysed in Nkpor near Onitsha when traders in Nkpor main market comprising mainly widows took to the streets with placards to protest imposition of N20, 000 stallage fee amounting to about N11.1m for 555 lines in the market by the Anambra State Government.
ONITSHA - BUSINESS activities were weekend paralysed in Nkpor near Onitsha when traders in Nkpor main market comprising mainly widows took to the streets with placards to protest imposition of N20, 000 stallage fee amounting to about N11.1m for 555 lines in the market by the Anambra State Government.
The protesters who chanted war songs as they marched through major streets and roads in Nkpor and parts of Idemili North Local Government area complained of incessant harassment , extortion, intimidation and torture by revenue agents of the State Government attached to the office of the commissioner for special duties and the monitoring unit of the Internally Generated Revenue ( IGR) office.
Leader of the group , Mrs Joy Oli told newsmen that the worrisome aspect of the activities of the agents who had locked up their stalls for three weeks now for failing to pay the exorbitant fee was that certain amount of money ranging between N 600 to N 3,000 were exorted from the traders without the receipts issued to them.
‘' They harassed us with axe , cutlass, daggers and other dangerous weapons. If you fail to pay the money, they will immediately attack you , beat you up and throw you out of your shop.'''several complaits and reports on the activities of the government revenue agents led by one Mr Alfred Odogwu to the president of the Anambra State market Amalgamated Traders Association, Chief Sylvester Odife yeilded no positive result hence their peaceful protest.
intervene in the matter to save them and their families from starvation and hunger.
The SSG in his response assured the traders that their grievances would be made known to the governor on his arrival from overseas trip, saying that government will not tolerate brigandry and lawlessness.
Contacted, the special Adviser to governor on IGR, Nze Agochukwu Okpalaoka said the office of the Commissioner for special duties was responsible for the imposition of the said stallage levy.