MAN seeks Ikpeazu’s intervention over outrageous revenue demands 

The Imo/Abia branch of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), has appealed to  governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State to intervene and halt the prevailing outrageous revenue demands by various revenue agencies in the state.

The message was conveyed by Jude Eluma, chairman of the branch, who also described the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria as a responsible citizen  of Nigeria, that partners with government not only in job creation but also in revenue generation, and that MAN is a private sector driven association of manufacturers assembly, whose activities help to formulate, articulate and make policy suggestions that compliment government efforts in  policy formulations, but frowned at the outrageous revenue demands, which are stifling the growth of the industrial sector in  Abia state.

The association has written several letters in the past  where it said several requests of courtesy visits were made to see the chairman of Abia State Board of Inland Revenue, as well as the chairmen of the local government areas in the state, for familiarisation and  request for a harmonised system of paying revenue on annual basis by MAN members  in the state.

The chairman lamented that up till the time of writing this story that none of the letters were honoured by the chairman of the revenue board but, according  to Eluma, the business of the members in Abia have continued to be threatened by the revenue agencies and the outrageous demands, which have all made many factories to close down, with many of the trucks belonging to the manufacturers confiscated.

The chairman also stated that there have been increased legal abuse and threats of court action by the revenue agencies of both the state and local governments without due process, all aimed at intimidating and coercing MAN members in order to part with funds under the harsh and unconducive business environment in Abia State.

“We  reject all forms of business threats from multiple taxation, decentralised revenue drive, by different Abia State agencies, and local government areas amid insecurity, dearth of infrastructure and increased business costs that are crippling members’ factories,” Eluma said.

He, therefore, pleaded with Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to intervene and save the state from imminent shutdown of all factories in Abia.