Ilaje settlers in Ogidigben community, Warri SouthWest Council Area Of Delta State, have appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, to wade into a matter of levies and tax, allegedly imposed on them by their landlords.
The three Baales (traditional chiefs) of Egbe-Okura 1, Egbe-Okuta 2 and Ogidigben Sea Shore districts occupied by the Ilajes, Chief Oluwole Ojamami, Chief Asego Oretan and Chief Solomon Agidogun, made the appeal, in Warri.
Speaking collectively and on behalf of all the Ilaje communities in Ugborodo, Warri, the chiefs noted that they (Ilajes) had been peacefully coexisting as tenants, with their Itsekiri landlords, until recently when some obnoxious levies and taxes were imposed on their economic activities.
According to the trio, despite their harmonious disposition and regular payments of their tenancy, their landlords came up with directives, levies and a tax regime on all goods transported through local boats from Ondo State and Warri to the community for their consumption.
They disclosed that the new directives and tax regime prohibits goods being ferried from Ondo to berth at Ogidigben jetty which is easily accessible to the Ilajes.
“The reason we are here is because of the issues concerning the Itsekiris and the Ilajes at Warri South West. We are tenants to the Itsekiris in the community and we have been living for years happily without issues.
“But for some time now, we have been having some issues concerning some taxes that they are imposing on us that are affecting us, our businesses and way of living,” they said.
The Ilaje leaders also accused the community of restricting them from buying and ferrying their luggage with their own boats, except with boats belonging to Itsekiris.
“They normally impose taxes on us. We are the Ilaje people and we normally get our foodstuff from Ondo State.
“We have a particular boat called Aboyewa boat that normally brings food to us. And whenever the boat is coming, there’s a particular place this boat will berth; it will berth at Ogidigben station where we the Ilajes have access to.