The Bayelsa government has called on the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and similar organisations in the state to desist from collecting unauthorised taxes from the public.

Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo warned in Yenagoa during a meeting with leaders of Tungbo communities in the state’s Sagbama Local Government Area.

He expressed concerns that members of IYC, the Movement for the Survival of the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta and other similar groups were collecting unauthorised levies and taxes from residents.

“It is illegal to use the name of these organisations to collect illegal taxes and levies in our communities; such act is punishable.

“Such illegal taxes imposed on traders, transporters and developers are capable of retarding the development of our rural communities,” the deputy governor said.

Mr Ewhrudjakpo urged the leaders to report indigenes of their communities found collecting unauthorised taxes from the public to law enforcement agencies for prosecution.

He also called on the police and security agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone found collecting such taxes in the name of IYC and similar groups in any part of the state.

“We shall henceforth deal decisively with such individuals who are using the IYC, MOSIEND and other groups to extort money from innocent businessmen and transporters.

“The state government will not fold its hands to watch a few persons take the laws into their hands to disparage the government and people of the state,” he said.

The deputy governor said such illegal collections from merchants and transporters who brought goods into the state had portrayed the state badly.

“Some transporters now decline coming to our communities, others now charge double the actual cost of transportation because of the illegal taxation, this is not good for us.

“This ugly development has contributed to the consistent rise in the price of goods in the state,” he said.

(NAN)