By Uzo Ugwunze
The Business owners living in Idemili North Local Government Area INLGA Anambra State has been urged to pay up their Local Government Internally Generated Revenue levies to avoid sealing up their business premises.
In a press release authorized by the Idemili North Mayor, Chief Stanley Nkwoka (Ochendo Idemili)and made available to different media houses for sensitization,the payment of the LG IGR levies was necessary to sustain the developmental projects ongoing saying that the INLGA IGR Compliance/Enforcement Team will commence drive on June 18, 2025 to check defaulters.
According to the press release, a lot of developmental works are ongoing to give Idemili North a facelift. It will only continue if people pay their taxes and revenue.
“The fact remains that it is by Internally Generated Revenue IGR that the LGA would use to carry out developmental projects and progress.
“Business owners resident at Idemili North should endeavor to pay their INLGA IGR.
“The INLGA is commencing her IGR Compliant cum Enforcement drive from Wednesday 18, June, 2025.
“Idemili North residents are advised to cooperate with the Compliant/ Enforcement Team by getting captured, paying their due IGR levies to the Idemili North LGA IGR team.
“Responding to IGR payment will enable the leadership of INLGA serve them better by continuing the good work and services to Idemili residents with their revenue money. Idemili North leadership have never served better before than now.
“Idemili North LGA is rising. Let Idemili North residents support the leadership developmental vision by paying your IGR levy immediately”,it stated.
Earlier in a sensitization meeting which held at the INLGA Secretariat Ogidi, the Revenue Officer Mrs Chizoba Uneze said that the strategic meeting of IGR Stakeholders and Enumeration officers was basically for enlightenment and sensitization concerning the Enforcement cum Compliance drive that was about to kick off by tomorrow.
“We are sensitizing our workers on how to carry out the exercise with utmost civility. We are deploying about 30 personnel well equipped for the enforcement together with our people although with every form of civility.
“We may not be confiscating anybody’s property but we will seal shops and business premises of defaulters.
A Revenue Consultant, Hon. Onyeka Osakwe flanked by the Digital ICT Revenue Consultants said that they have already obtained about 300 court orders to seal premises of people who have been given demand notice but have not complied with IGR payments.
‘We encouraging everyone to call on our IGR Enumerators for assessment, capturing, registration and to make their IGR payments digitally using Quick teller or Pay direct.
“Be warned that if you do not pay your Local Government IGR levies on time before the Enforcement Team arrives your shop or business premises, you will be forced to pay both your IGR levy and the attendant penalities.
“We have our Enumeration team with POS machine, business owners should make payments with their ASIN number or they can come to the INLGA Secretariat Ogidi and pay to the Revenue Officer whose staff are always on ground.
In his remarks the INLGA Secretary, Hom. Paul Chidubem Okoye said that If any person had paid for example, Sanitation Levy to any contractor, the person should please keep his or her receipts so that it could be presented anytime the IGR Enforcement Team arrives saying that the IGR Team knows how to reconcile documents inhouse to know wether the Levy was actually paid.
Moreso, Hon Paul Okoye gave a warning saying that nobody has right to go out for an enforcement without the authorization of the Idemili North Mayor, Chief Stanley Nkwoka (Ochendo Idemili).
“I can only act on his instruction if authorized besides that no other person has the right to carry out an enforcement without the Mayor ‘s permission. Anyone who does that is doing it at his own risk and will face the wrath of the law Governing the Local Government Administration Council,” he said.