Excessive Taxation Still a Major Problem For Traders in Delta State
By Jude I Ojiugo-Onochie
Traders are still over-burdened with multiple taxes according to disclosures made in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, during a recent meeting of Delta State Tax Justice and Good Governance Platform.
Speaking at a meeting of Delta State Tax Justice and Good Governance Platform, which took place on Monday 1st August at the conference Hall of Int’L Centre for Women Empowerment and Child Dev. (ICWECD), market leaders across the State, which admitting that there have been significant reduction in the member of taxes and levies imposed on them, however stated that they are still subjected to the payment of excessive taxes and levies.
Excessive taxation of informal sector operators, was once notoriously rampant in Delta State.
Traders as well as artisans, transporters and other Micro-enterpreurs we’re arbitrarily subjected to multiple taxation that were often collected forcibly and recklessly without regard to the human rights of the victims (the payer) in what was tantamount to extortion.
The activities of Delta State Tax Justice and Good Governance Platform, which came into existence in 2015 is believed to have helped considerably in curbing menace.
Traders who spoke at the meeting agreed that, Delta State Tax Justice and Good Governance Platform made a good impact in helping to reduce the burden of taxation on them.
As a result of the activities of the platform, according to a prominent leader of traders at Udu Market in Delta Central District, Mrs Grace Mragbozo, the number of taxes and levies paid by traders in Urdu Market, has reduced while services such as water, toilets, light, sanitation and security has improved. In addition.
she said, there is now a government provided Health Centre near the Udu Market.
This is not to say, she further noted that the problem of multiple taxation and the challenges associated with the services have disappeared. ” They are still there” she added.
Among several others, Pastor Cyril Eluemike, a former secretary of Ogbogonogo Traders Association, and Mrs. Lilian Adigwe, the Co-ordinator of all the traders in Oshimili South also spoke in the same vein, affirming that the burden of taxation on traders in Oshimili South has reduced.
Traders in Oshimili South, they also noted now virtually enjoyed free medical treatment as a result of the platform’s Advocacy activities.
In their remarks, the two market leaders from Oshimili South, however, pointed out that there has been a problem of multiple taxation, as well as determination in the services provided in the Ogbogonogo Market, such as water, light, security etc, since the dissolution of Ogbogonogo Market Exco by Oshimili South local government about 3 years ago.
In the words of Mrs. Adigwe, speaking of the deplorable situation of Ogbogonogo Market, since the dissolution of the market Exco.
Inspite of the fact that traders pay service charges regularly, there is often no light in the market and the toilets are in very bad and unsanitory safe” ” There are no access roads in the market with the result that every part of the market have been turned into market stall and selling space and thereby making movement in the market virtually impossible” She further stated.
The meeting of 1st August was held at the instance of OXFAM, the sponsor of Delta State Tax Justice and Good Governance Platform.
It is part of the national tour of OXFAM, to appraise the activities of the Tax Justice and Good Governance project across Nigeria.
