Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has recently issued a warning against the collection of taxes from vegetable sellers and other petty traders in the state.
The governor made this announcement during the swearing-in of members of the Revenue Appeal Commission, emphasizing the need to focus on big businesses and avoid burdening small-scale traders.
Governor Nwifuru described the practice of taxing vegetable sellers and other petty traders as "inhuman" and urged the revenue service and appeal commission to avoid such actions.
He argued that there is no reason to collect tax from people selling their farm produce in local markets, as it would only add to the financial burden of these individuals.
Instead, the governor advised the revenue service and appeal commission to focus on large businesses and approach their duties with a "human face" to improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state without causing unnecessary hardship for the people.
The governor also advised the revenue service to adopt a more empathetic approach in their tax collection efforts, stating, "I don’t want shouting, I don’t want closing people’s shops, you have to look at the people’s shops and tax them based on what they have, everything is all about negotiations."
Augustine Nwankwegu, the newly appointed Chairman of the Revenue Service and Appeal Commission, expressed gratitude to the governor and promised to work diligently towards improving the revenue of the state, as well as enhancing the ease of doing business in Ebonyi State.
This announcement by Governor Nwifuru reflects his administration's commitment to supporting small-scale traders and promoting a more business-friendly environment in Ebonyi State.
