By Francis Ekpone & Okechukwu Onuegbu
Anambra residents are still counting their loses following the recent closure of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) over tax evasion in the state.
Millions of customers, in­cluding traders, civil ser­vants, students, politicians, among others could not do any transaction with the bank since last week when the bank was sealed by the Internal Revenue Services.
The Automated Teller Ma­chines (ATMs) in the over 20 branches of the bank in the state, were also shut down by the revenue agents.

It would be recalled that the Legal Enforcement Unit of the Anambra State Inter­nal Revenue Service, last week, sealed off branches of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) across the state follow­ing tax remittance irregular­ities.

A business mogul and politician, who pledged ano­nymity, told Orient Daily that the bank closure has affected him adversely, following a separate account he opened in the bank for his business­es and that of his wife, which are the verge of bankruptcy as a result of the situation.

“As we speak, I am consid­ering going to a nearby state, either Enugu or Delta state to withdraw all I have in that bank. Nothing is going on in my wife’s shop right now be­cause the money we use to do business in that bank is in UBA and now that they are facing this challenge, I can’t allow my business to fold be­cause of their problem.

“Initially, I thought that this imbroglio will end in few days but we are now in the second week and still count­ing. We cannot continue that way and I won’t venture into my other count to fund the business, I don’t do that,” he said.

The Media Relations Of­ficer, National Orientation Agency, Mr. Anthony Obiora, said that the closure is a se­rious trying moment for some customers of the bank.
He appealed to the bank to resolve their differences with the government to ease the tension already created.


“It is a very difficult mo­ment for some of us that bank with UBA as we cannot presently lay our hands on anything except you move to nearby states which is also risky on its own.
“I have savings account with the bank before now wherein I receive my sala­ries but before the incidence, I moved my salary account to another bank for personal reasons.

“I am surprised that a big bank like UBA cannot pay their tax. Tax evasion is a serious crime. As a big bank, they ought to pay their tax, instead of cutting corners, which is now affecting them adversely. You can imagine the amount they lose daily since the incident occurred last week,” he said.

However, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Hu­man Rights, Legislature and Judiciary at the Faculty of Law, Nnamdi Azikiwe Uni­versity, Awka, Comrade Tim­othy Nwachukwu, said the closure of UBA by the Anam­bra State Internal Revenue Services is wrong and ought to be reviewed. According to him, it is quite unfortunate that the bank was sealed on the orders of the court and since them, it has been af­fecting my transactions with the bank, though, I have been using the online platform for such transactions.

“UBA is our preferred bank, let them expedite action to ensure that the banking ac­tivities commence as soon as possible. To me, this issue can be blamed on the government for multiple taxation. A situ­ation where lots of revenue agencies collect taxes for the government. There ought to be a review of revenue collec­tion and activities in the state in the interest of our economy.

“I believe that UBA cannot ordinarily evade tax pay­ment. They know the law and they have legal department. So, I suggest we streamline the revenue activities into one for better service delivery.” Meanwhile, the management of the bank has apologised to its numerous customers in Anambra state for the seal of the institution, calling on them to make use of online banking for their services.

The SMS sent on the morn­ing of September 4, 2018 by 8: 56:008am reads: “You can now carry out transactions with ease and convenience with Leo on WhatsApp. Get started, from UBA”
The bank is also said to have launched a legal war to evade the N6 billion tax slapped on it by the Anambra State government.

In a move that is being seen as hardline stance, the bank on Monday filed a counter motion pleading an Awka High Court to set aside the exparte order it granted the Anambra State government in June this year authorising it to shut down the bank’s 25 branches in the state for fail­ing to pay taxes.

Following the order duly obtained from the same High Court, agents of Anambra State Internal Revenue Ser­vices had swooped on all UBA branches in a dawn raid, seal­ing all the outlets last week and grounding its operations in the state completely.

A source within the bank revealed that UBA was duly aware that Anambra State government had a right to sue and recover any debt under Section 50 of PITA as amended, pointing out that both parties had even held a meeting to resolve the matter on August 29, 2018 but nego­tiations had deadlocked be­cause the state insisted that the bank must specify what it was willing to pay since it had obtained judgement in the sum of N6,938,355,200.97.

The bank’s decision to file a counter motion to quash an existing relief granted by the same court is seen as a legal oddity since no self-re­specting court can overrule itself. Speaking on the issue in Awka on Monday, Ogbuevi Mike Anumba, a legal prac­titioner, described the bank’s counter motion in the same Awka High Court as absurd.

According to him, “what the bank should have done is to go to a higher court and ap­peal the judgement. I think they are wasting their time. The state has a right to in­voke Section 50 of PITA as amended and demand for the payment of taxes or exert some physical pressure if that fails. I am a little disappoint­ed that UBA has not read the sign on the wall clearly. The fact is that other corporate organisations are actually striving to show themselves as responsible corporate citi­zens. But I think UBA is mov­ing in the opposite direction.”
Calling on the management of the bank to sit up, Anum­ba chided the bank for lack of sensitivity to its operating environment, asking “what has UBA ever given back to Anambra State?

“A bank that has 25 branch­es in one state should at least execute one visible corporate social responsibility project in that state. Sadly, in the case of UBA, I can’t think of anything the bank has done as a give-back gesture to this state. CSR is a globally ac­claimed practice that socially sensitive organizations pay attention to. UBA has not shown Ndi Anambra that it is aware of this ennobling cor­porate practice.”

https://orientdailynews.com.ng/cover-story/uba-customers-count-losses-anambra/



lalasticlala seun mynd44

but can't u use other branches of UBA, to withdraw ur money ni.

NIGERIAJAGAJAGA:
but can't u use other branches of UBA, to withdraw ur money ni.

No Ma, except outside Anambra state

OrientDailyNews:


No Ma, except outside Anambra state

God will save us in dis country. we will struggle to make money, struggle to save it, we will still be struggling to have access to it before we can spend it.

Evev though they reopen tomorrow the bank is in trouble due to sensitive nature of customers, the should have look for ways to settle this silently.