Follow Us on Google
From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, yesterday, warned the state Board of Internal Revenue against imposition of levies and taxes on petty business operators in the state.
He said imposing levies and taxes on such category of people was capable of inflicting hardship on the masses.
The governor stated this at the Executive Chambers, New Government House, Abakaliki, while swearing-in members of the Boards and Commissions which he reconstituted.
“Collecting levies and tolls from women selling vegetables and groundnuts will inflict hardship on the people .
“Therefore, I challenge you to rather look for those who have mansions, yet they are not paying taxes,” he stated.
He charged members of the reconstituted boards and commissions to carry out their responsibilities with diligence.
Nwifuru said reconstitution of the Boards and Commissions became imperative to drive his development agenda.
He implored the state civil service commission to begin the process of training and re-training of the state workforce for optimum performance.
“I want you to improve our relationship with our workers and also ensure they are trained. The Head of Service should work with the Civil Service Commission to do this. We must always show example because when the workers are trained, they will be more equipped to do the job.”
On the local government system, the Governor challenged the chairman and members to immediately correct the anomalies in the system.
The Governor said: “Our local government system is badly challenged. Most of the council chairmen influence posting of heads of personnel management and treasurers to them without recourse to the scheme of service.
“It is only there you can see a junior heading a senior, where a level 13 will be made a treasurer; where a level 15 officer will be internal auditor is unacceptable. In the service, people should wait for their turn,” he stated.
