Six Nnewi North Revenue Collectors Assault Woman

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Business Permit
Business Permit

No fewer than six revenue officers attached to the Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra state at the weekend allegedly beat a woman to a state of stupor at No 16, Garvey Okongwu street for alleged failure to produce a business premises payment receipt for the outgoing 2014 fiscal year

Business Permit
Business Permit

Eye witnesses disclosed that when she failed to produce the requested papers, the unruly revenue officers allegedly didn’t waste time to pounce on her, punching and kicking her in turns. And that it took the intervention of sympathizers and bystanders who sympathetically administered first aid treatment on the unconscious victim of terror before she revived.

Also at another shop on the same street and area, the revenue agents met an 18 year old young apprentice (Names withheld) at an hair dressing salon who told them that her boss was not around and urged them to repeat their visit. But they were said not to be impressed with all that, as they also beat her up after which they started packing everything in sight in the salon.

So far, these revenue officials practically turned the shop upside down said that the only condition with which they can allow the girl be was if she would cough out five thousand naira. ? I had no choice than to borrow money from my neighbor to pay them so I can collect my oga’s things and equipment back from them. They even destroyed some of my belongings, I thought they would give me an official receipt but they did not. I bear everything as if we are in a war situation”, the lad stressed amidst sobs.

One Mr Wale Tiamiyu Tomori, a tailor and native of Osun State who lives and carry on his trade in Nnewi who was also bruised by the revenue collectors, said, ?The revenue collectors came to my shop three months ago, demanding for receipts of payment. I showed them all the receipts I have but they said it was not complete and they started packing my sowing machines and clothes I was given by my customers. They packed goods that runs into thousands of naira, as we talk they are still in custody of these items. There was also a day they came but I was not around they met my pregnant wife and rough handled her.” He claimed

Another tailor, Mrs. Amarachi Nwaechi who also got some harsh treatment from the revenue collectors passionately pleaded with the state and Nnewi North Local Government Area to rise to their help as the attack dogs sent out to collect revenues for them are making life miserable for them. ?There was a day they came and I pleaded with them to come another day they refused I even offered to show them my previous payments, telling them to come the following day because I did not have money now but they would not listen to me instead they started to force open my protector which I normally lock so that my little kids will not go out to play on the main road. When they realized that they could not force it open, they then started packing the clothes I sow for people. These heartless government officials tore the cloths they could not readily remove from my hanger.hey could not collect them because of the way we display them, they started tearing the clothes. At a time they were throwing stones, big sticks into my shop and in the process wounded my kids. My little baby girl was hospitalized, some of my apprentice also did not escape the rampaging revenue collectors.” Mrs. Nwaechi recount.

Asked ?on why she was not paying her levies, dues and taxes, the 26year old Seamstress said that she always pay her levies and other payments promptly but added that the problem shop owners are facing in the industrial town of Nnewi is multiple taxation and all manner of levies which she believe are not really instituted legally by various levels of government. “We pay Business Premises levies which is two thousand naira, Anambra StateWaste Management fee that one is six thousand naira, Small Scale Entrepreneur fee two thousand naira, Fire Service fee takes three thousand naira from our purse and they recently added new ones under all kind of nomenclature, so in this type of hostile environment, how do one take care of other responsibilities like children’s school fees, electricity bills and others in that regard.”

Mrs Nwaehi observed with worry that the ruthlessness the revenue officials go about their business got to a madness point as soon as they realized that the yuletide was fast approaching.
? Mr. Ernest Nkurumeh a stakeholder in the town whose shop is on the same street said ?I was in my shop when I saw what the officials were doing to those women, I had to come out and help stop the fight before somebody get killed. I saw the officials throwing stones and stick into the woman’s shop and I had to scold the officials telling them that they stop beating up a married woman.”

He advised the government to regularize its Internally Generated Revenue system to avoid a situation where the ones sent out take advantage of the traders who are just struggling to make ends meet. ” Our people are being killed in the north, they run back home to start afresh only to be frustrated by over zealous revenue collectors, so where do they want us to flee to?”

Source:
From Chuks Collins, Awka

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