By Nwabueze Okonkwo
ONITSHA—No fewer than 50 persons, yesterday, sustained various degrees of injuries, while about 20 shops were destroyed, following a confrontation between some revenue collectors from Onitsha South Local Government Area and traders at the Millenium Merchants and Importers Association Markets, Main Market, Onitsha.
Trouble started when Onitsha South Local Government Area Chairman, Lady Ann Chukwuneke, allegedly stormed the market with over 100 youths to collect revenue from the traders and at the same time clamp down on street trading in the area.
A source said the council officials started dismantling some of the shops, which did not go down well with the traders.
This, it was learned, resulted in a free-for-all between the traders and revenue collectors, following which over 50 persons sustained injuries.
Among those reportedly injured were the Vice Chairman of the market, Prince Peter Okoye and Obiora Otigba.
The traders began to protest, with placards bearing inscriptions such as “The council chairman is not a good mother,” “Governor Obiano should remove her,” “We have lost huge sums of money to hoodlums.”
Governor intervenes
Reacting to the development, the President of Anambra State Markets Amalgamation Traders Association, AMATAS, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, said the council chairman had no right to storm the market and destroy the wares of the traders, some of who, he said, lost huge sums of money to hoodlums.
He said: “The governor directed me to come and calm the traders and to reopen their shops, that he is looking into the crisis. I am happy the governor is aware because he does not want crisis in the state.”
Market’s Chairman reacts
Earlier, the chairman of the market, Mr. Valentine Ezechukwu, and former chairman, Chief Obiora Nwankwo, described the action of the council boss as uncalled for, adding that they had earlier discussed with the chairman on the way forward for the market and wondered why she stormed the market without notice.
They said: “We gave a token to the council, yet they stormed the market demanding N50,000 per shop.”
Three traders, Uche Okolie, John Achukwu, from Warri and one Joseph claimed to have lost N 2.5 million, N360,000 and N 100,000, respectively, to the hoodlums.
The timely intervention of the Onitsha Police Area Commander, Mr. Benjamin Wordu, saved the situation from escalating to other markets.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/50-injured-shops-looted-traders-revenue-collectors-clash-onitsha/

Igbos are anathema to paying tax'. I said it on another thread and i was called all sort of names by igbo posters. The simple truth is that - TAX & IGBOS are enemies

Arch1:
Igbos are anathema to paying tax'. I said it on another thread i was called all sort of names by igbo posters. The simple truth is that - TAX & IGBOS are enemies

I also said same thing but somehow I believe that even corporate organisations in Igboland seem to believe they shouldn't pay tax but pay when in Lagos or elsewhere.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/closure-tax-tension-imo-banks-begin-sympathy-strike/

It is disheartening that people here on Nairaland criticise some State Governors like Abia and Anambra for being unable to harness their revenue generating potentials while some of these people are also anti-tax.

I think the issue of taxation by states should be looked into by the federal lawmakers and enforce a clear method of taxing we citizens.
Unspecified method of taxating and the percentage to be remitted as tax from people's businesses is what's leading to misunderstanding between the people and state government. State governments who are eager to increase their IGR in order to meetup with their people's demand due to the insufficient monthly allocation from the FG are usually forced to dive into multiple taxation.

This case is not the first, same scenario played in Ogun state, between the state tax officials and covenant university.
Some basic schools that couldn't meet up with the amount they were to pay as tax were forced to close down sometimes ago in Osun state.

All these should be settled at once by the lawmakers with consideration of the people first, to avoid future wahala.

Why are ibos always find it difficult to pay TAX?

Even our leader Obafemi Obediah Jeremaih Awolowo was jailed for tax evasion.

chiefinalowo:
Why are ibos always find it difficult to pay TAX?

First of all, the LGA should make sure there is a system in place to prevent double taxation of the traders.

Using thugs to get people who behave like thugs to pay their civic responsibility is like using kerosene to quench fire started by petrol.

The LGA should use a team of law enforcement POLICE / MILITARY OFFICERS to arrest trouble makers. Using thugs to threaten them all goes to show the poor understanding of what governance should be on the part of the LGA chairman.