C’River Seals Shops Over Tax Evasion

Business activities were recently paralysed in some markets in Calabar metropolis when officials of Cross River Internal Revenue Service sealed-off shops and business centres over non-payment of taxes.

A correspondent of The Tide who visited the markets, reports that most of the shops were located on Bedwell Street, Etim Edem Park and its environs.

The Tide also reports that about 2,000 traders were affected by the action.

Mr Okokon Richmond, Chairman, National Union of Shops and Distributive Employees (NUSDE), admitted that the government took the action because the traders refused to pay tax on their shops.

He, however, stated that the tax imposed on shops owners was on the high side.

“We woke up this morning to see that our shops were sealed and locked because of the outrageous money imposed by the government as tax.

“We told the government that we would pay 65 per cent of what we paid last year or we should be allowed to pay 10 per cent of the present assessment.

“The person, who represented the government promised to take our suggestion back to the chairman who is expected to get back to us,’’ he said.

Richmond, however, said that the government did not agree with the suggestion made by the union, adding that the government did not inform the union members before locking up their shops.

He described the action as very embarrassing, and said that the union was not satisfied with the tax regime imposed by the government.

The chairman said the affected traders had lost millions of Naira as a result of the action and called on the government to dialogue with the union to restore normalcy in the markets.