Some shop owners in Abakaliki have appealed to the Ebonyi State government to regulate the activities of task forces operating across the state, alleging harassment, intimidation and multiple levies.

The traders made the appeal on Thursday in separate interviews with journalists.

A recharge card dealer and Point of Sale (POS) operator at Diamond Point Junction, Chika Uzu, said he had repeatedly encountered task force officials, particularly after a dispute between two neighbouring traders over a shop space.

According to him, the officials intensified their visits to the area after the disagreement was resolved, subjecting traders to frequent harassment and extortion.

Mr Uzu alleged that the task force officials damaged some of their property and collected money from traders without issuing official receipts.

“The task force comes once in a while to collect money from us, but the collections increased after the dispute involving my two neighbours,” he said.

He claimed that traders were made to pay between N5,000 and N15,000 depending on the nature of their businesses and called on the government to introduce a uniform annual levy with proper documentation.

Also speaking, a clothier on Alo Street, Onyemachi Ngboke, said traders were burdened by multiple charges, including internally generated revenue (IGR), local government levies and other payments imposed by different task forces.

He said the levies, which ranged from N10,000 to N20,000 at irregular intervals, had become unsustainable for many small business owners.

“We are tired of these payments and urge the government to intervene before many of us are forced to shut down our businesses,” he said.

Similarly, another trader who runs a provision store on Water Works Road, Ngozi Nwafor, alleged that the activities of task force officials had increased her financial hardship.

She appealed to the state government to urgently check what she described as the excesses of the task force officials to prevent further disruption to business activities.

The traders urged the government to streamline revenue collection processes and ensure that only authorised officials collect approved levies to protect businesses and improve the state’s investment climate.

Responding, the Chairman of the Ebonyi State Internal Revenue Service, Christopher Omo-Isu, said his office only shared the demand notice with business owners in the state.

The chairman said that the official government task force commenced operations by October of every year.

Mr Isu announced that the government-approved payment for business owners in the state is N14,000 annually.

He condemned the activities of the task force and promised to use government apparatus to deal with the perpetrators of the crime. 

(NAN)