The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti state has
called on Governor Ayodele Fayose to review what it described as unfair
increase in taxes of business owners in the state.
Traders had protested the sealing off of their
business premises by official of the state tax agency. It was learnt that about
100 shops belonging to Igbo traders were reportedly sealed by officials of the
Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the action was implemented on October 20.
The traders who protested the increment in tax said
that the new tax regime was outrageous despite the fact that traders and
officials of BIR had agreed that N5, 500 only for the tax agency to revoke the
agreement and started sealing of shops saying that the earlier agreement cannot
stand, Daily Post reports.
The APC said that Fayose’s action will discourage
investors from doing business in the state and make it difficult for local
businesspersons to continue doing business.
The main opposition stance was contained in a
statement released in Ado-Ekiti by its spokesman, Taiwo Olatunbosun that
condemned the taxes slammed on business owners describing as
exploitative, harsh and outrageous.
Olatunbosun said: “Locking out traders, shop
and business owners without allowing them opportunity to remove their valuables
are most degrading, wicked, ungodly and inhuman.
“The task force men working with some thugs refused
the business owners along Bank Road to take the keys to their homes, cash,
cheque books, pass books and other documents as they were locked inside, which
resulted in Igbo traders that drive the economy of the state to stage a
protest.
“Zenith and Diamond banks were illegally and
forcefully locked up against the customers and the workers at the banks, thereby
causing panic as if it was an armed robbery scene.”
The party noted that the forceful closure of business
premises has deprived many of the state residents of their source of livelihood
couple with the present harsh economic condition.
“This is unlike the Fayemi administration that
attracted many investors to the state, but, now, unfortunately, Fayose’s
actions are driving investors away from the state.
“This shows clearly that Fayose
is not the friend of the masses as he claims to be. His actions and policies
have now proved that he is the enemy of the poor,” he added
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