…the importers accused government revenue agents of always engaging thugs in their revenue drive
Nnewi Importers and Automobile Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Anambra State has vowed to ground business activities in the industrial community over what it termed excessive taxation.
The importers, comprising Fairly Used Motorcycle Dealers Association (FUMDA), Shuttle Bus Dealers, Motor Parts, Motorcycle Spare Parts and Plant Parts associations, threatened to withdraw unloading of its consignments brought in by trailers to Nnewi for more than one week.
The body who had planned to protest with their placards as well as mobilized heavy trucks to block the roads leading to Nkwo Nnewi markets, was however stopped following a tip-off by governement revenue agents who reportedly settled the importers and arranged unscheduled visit for a truce.
Addressing newsmen on Sunday, President of the importers association, Mr Austin Jideofor accused government revenue agents of always engaging thugs in their revenue drive.
He said, “We have agreed with the governement revenue agents that from now till December 31, 2022 any container that comes into Nnewi with goods will pay N15,000 to the governement revenue agents.
“But from January 1, 2023, it will be N10,000. This is our agreement. That is why we suspended our earlier scheduled protest today. Before the suspension, we had taken the decision that no container will be unloaded for the whole week.
“We believe that the Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s governement is a responsible one and will not renege from the agreement. But if it is breached, we will surely embark on the protest as earlier scheduled.”
The State coordinator, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) on heavy-duty trucks, Mr Dozie Nwizu who admitted use of thugs for revenue drive, attributed it to traders’ resistance to pay governement revenue.
“The use of thugs for revenue drive has always been caused by the traders’ resistance to pay governement revenue.
“When you come to somebody to collect governement revenue and he applies little resistance, we have to apply little force,” he said.
Nwizu however explained that the agreement to collect N15,000 for December 2022 alone and to begin to collect N10,000 for each container from January 1, 2023 remained sacrosanct.
“That, however will be after the State governement’s approval,” he added.
Some executive members of the importers assocuation at the meeting were Mr Ekene Ebubedike, Vice President; Mr Stephen Uzomefuna, Secretary; Chief Elvis Nzeakonobi; Chief Gozie Akudoluo and Nze Kenneth Maduakor as well as a full house of other members.
