By Chukwudi Ebele
Synthe-Fabric Dealers Association Market, Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area, was on Tuesday sealed for allegedly owing about #100 million to Anambra State Government.
The sealing was carried out by State Coordinator, Market-Traders Payment Compliance, Hon. Chike Udoji, after about five years of non payment of Internally Generated Revenue , IGR, accruing to about #00 million to state government.
Fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the sealing, Hon. Udoji, said that, “They have not paid for five years despite demand notices served them. We felt it was not fair not to make payment to government,” he lamented.
The state coordinator who admitted that it is a private market, stated that private markets pay #17,500 stallage levy yearly for each shop and public markets pay #30,000 for each shop yearly.
“Formerly it was #7,500 for private market and #12,200 for public markets. By the time we collect data for four years we know how much the Synthe-Fabric market is owing, but must be over #100 million, excluding 2024 fiscal year :that the new payment rate was increased.
“They claimed that they have been paying and maybe the money went to private purse, we sealed it to unearth the truth. The sealing lasts for seven days after which they will be arraigned in court for non payment of IGR to government as tax evasion is a criminal offence,” he maintained.
Reacting, the Chairman of Haruna market, Onitsha, Chief Emmanuel Idoko, expressed surprise that a market could owe the state government a debt amounting to #100 million in five years and wondered where they think government will source fund from to develop the state.
“This is height of wickedness that for five years a market could not pay its IGR accruing to about #100 million and they still accuse the government of lack of development of the state. The market has to remain sealed until they make payment.
“In my market the traders pay their levies because they know that it is through such payment that the state will be developed and compete with other big cities and states. Manner can not come from heaven,” he posited.
It was gathered that hours after the sealing of the market the leaders of the market and Stakeholders approached the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association, ASMATA, President General, PG, Chief Humphrey Anuna, who pleaded on their behalf and the market was unsealed with the pledge from the market leaders to off set the debt in no distant time.
Currently closed door meeting is said to be on going with a view to finding a way out of the quagmire which has kept the traders in a fix on how to raise the whopping sum.
Also, the PG is said to have seen the meeting as opportunity to reconcile the warring factions which according to impeccable inside market sources, described as root cause of the non payment of the debts.