Chamber Opposes Multiple Taxes In Abia

The Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA) in Abia has expressed concern over the multitude of taxes slammed on its members.

The newly elected President of the chamber, Chief  Eleanya Okoroji told newsmen in Aba on Tuesday that the number of collectible taxes and levies in Abia, particularly in Aba, the commercial hub of the state, had become worrisome. According to the president, such multiplicity is stifling business activities in the state.

Okoroji intoned that “perhaps the state government may not be aware of some of them”, noting that most of the levies were stalling investments instead of encouraging them. He also said that the various modes of collection of some of the taxes “are inhuman as touts are veritably used to intimidate and embarrass innocent citizens.

“This primitive method of revenue collection is gradually tarnishing the image of the government.”

Okoroji urged government to publish harmonised taxes and levies in the state as well as banks authorised to collect them. He advocated the setting up of a tax harmonisation committee by the government and suggested that the committee, made up of men of integrity from both the public and private sectors of economy, should fine-tune and improve the taxation system in the state. The chamber president said that the committee would equally tackle the issue of touts and miscreants who constituted “a great menace” in Aba.

“Most of them we believe, without the knowledge or permission of the government, parade the streets of Aba as revenue collectors, collecting chains of unauthorised revenue in the city.”