The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State Council, has raised the alarm over what it described as the exploitative tax regime imposed on residents by Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) contractors and their agents.
Rising from its Congress held yesterday at the Dr. Sam Egwu Press Centre, Abakaliki, the Council accused revenue contractors handling Fire Service, Environmental Sanitation, Tenement and Property rates of taxing citizens above the approved schedule of the state government.
In a communique signed by the State Chairman, Comrade Samson Nwafor, and Secretary, Comrade Chinaza Peculiar John, NUJ lamented that residents are often served conflicting demand notices, dragged to court, or harassed with pre-court action papers pasted on their gates. In some cases, contractors reportedly sealed or confiscated people’s properties over alleged non-payment.
The union warned that such arbitrary practices are worsening the hardship of citizens and run contrary to the spirit of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s People’s Charter of Needs agenda in Ebonyi State.
“Most worrisome is a situation where the contractors give conflicting demand notices to residents. This ugly trend is generating confusion and must be urgently addressed,” the communique read in part.
NUJ, while commending Governor Nwifuru for his support to the media and reforms in other sectors, urged him to urgently review the revenue collection process to end the exploitation, restore order, and align tax demands strictly with the state’s approved revenue schedule.
