Umahi abolishes new taxes in Ebonyi

The Ebonyi State Governor, Chief David Nweze Umahi, has abolished the passenger manifest charges in the state.

Disclosing this to newsmen during a press briefing in Abakaliki, the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Senator Emmanuel Onwe, stated that the decision to abolish the charges was prompted by the public outcry that greeted its introduction.

Onwe said Governor Umahi regretted that transporters capitalized on the policy, which was introduced in good faith, to hike transport fares.

The commissioner explained that because of the development, the governor directed the immediate reversal to the old fares by all transport companies in the state.

He said Umahi also directed that all increment in taxes be reversed to the old rates without delay, stressing that the government had warned all revenue agents in the state  to henceforth desist from the use of force in collecting them.

Onwe advised residents of the state to report to the police or to the office of the Attorney General of the State the activities of illegal revenue tax forces for prompt action.

He further announced that the government would by the first quarter of next year convene a stakeholders’ meeting on the right tax increment for the state.

Onwe stated that Umahi was mindful of the predicaments of the people of the state and therefore had engaged in massive reconstruction of roads within the state capital.

According to him, the government was concluding arrangement for the construction of 15 kilometers of roads in each of the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.

The Commissioner added: “The governor has made arrangements for joint statewide security patrol, led by the Ebonyi State Police Command, supported by the other security agencies and vigilante outfits in all the Local Government Areas.

“He has finalized arrangements with the Army Commandant to beef up security in Afikpo North Local Government Area and the boundary between Afikpo South and Abia State.”