Business
Cote d’Ivoire Political Crisis Chamber Of Commerce Suspends Taxes
The Ivorian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI-CI) last Thursday in Abidjan said the tense political situation in the country has stiffled businesses, disrupting payment of taxes.
The CCI-CI said payment of taxes had been suspended until further notice.
In a communiqué issued in Abidjan, the president of the CCI-CI, Mr Jean-Louis Billon, said the outcome of the second round of the presidential run-off elections had made it difficult for businesses to thrive.
“While the outcome of the second round of presidential elections was to enable the private sector to see better days, unfortunately the political situation has not improved.
“Thus, since November 26, operators face the consequences of curfew and thus continue to pay tribute for the crisis.
“The end of the year, usually successful, could be catastrophic for business, and the tax deadlines of December 10 and 15 are hardly honorable for the operators,’’ he said.
He said the chamber considered the difficulties being faced by businesses and suspended payment of taxes.
“On these dates, it seems essential to indicate to all operators the position of our institution, namely the suspension of payment of taxes, in part because those economic actors are feeling the full brunt of radicalisation of politics on the economy.
“Secondly, because the confusion that reigns today is technically impossible to pay those fees to two administrations,’’ the West Africa correspondent quotes him as saying.
Newsmen gathered that Billon was stopped at the airport, from travelling out of the country by security operatives who confiscated his passport.