Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has suspended the activities of the state’s Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) for floating the provision of the Tax Exemption Law.
In a video which went vial on social media, the governor had empathised with small scale business owners in the state who struggle to eke a living from their trade and subsequently exempted them from taxes in the state.
According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the governor, Christian Ita, the group were still engaged in the sale of tickets to bus, taxi, okada and tricycle operators in the state in violation of the provision of the law.
The state says the governor has directed security agents to arrest anybody found selling tickets or collecting any form of tax from those exempted from paying tax in the state.
“His Excellency will henceforth, not tolerate the flagrant disregard of the tax exemption law which has been in place for over three years now. On no account will any criminal and mischievous attempt to undermine and short circuit the noble effort of the governor, be allowed.”
It will be recalled the Ayade recently inaugurated the anti-tax agency in the state charged to ensure that small scale businesses and peasant farmers enjoy tax holiday.
According to atqnews.com, the governor frowned at the activities of illegal tax consultants who he said impose unnecessary tax on the poor and vulnerable in the state and urged members of the Agency to immediately swing into action.
“I charge you that this responsibility comes with it’s own troubles, you have a choice to do that which is good and the selection of this team is based on your history, it’s based on your profile, the understanding of your closeness to God and that you will do that which is fair to all manners of people equally and fairly.
“We charge you to ensure that the poor masses of Cross River State and the small business owners do not come under the harsh hands of the desperate search for money by tax consultants”, Ayade told members of the Agency which is comprised of Christian clerics.
