Edo Govt. loses N1.2m to illegal tax collectors weekly

Edo Chairman, Traders
Welfare Union, Mr
Lucky Irukpe, has said
that the state
government loses N1.2
million to illegal
tax collectors every
week in all the major
markets in the state.
Irukpe told newsmen
in Benin that illegal
tax collectors invade
markets and extort
money from street
traders that were not
remitted to the
government.
He said that the act
was being carried out
by some of the
committee members
set up by government
and private owners of
market stalls. The
chairman said he had
been a victim of
extortion for the past
17 years, adding that
the revenue collected
were not going into
the coffers of the state
government.
He said that the
population of street
traders were more
than the regular
traders inside the
market, adding that a
one-million capacity
market could not
accommodate the
traders. Irukpe said,
“We, the traders are
the only ones that can
stop street trading
within 21 days, if given
the opportunity.
“We are determined to
put a stop to street
trading to ensure that
the sufferings and
unjust harassment of
the traders in the
hands of illegal tax
collectors becomes a
thing of the past.”
According to him, the
committees set up to
put a stop to street
trading are not capable
because they lack
moral justification to
tackle the menace.
Irukpe explained that
street trading was an
embarrassment to the
on-going development
stride of the governor,
adding that it was
occasioned by agents
and landlords who hike
the rent on their shops.
He called on the state
government to address
the issue of the agents
and landlords, who
take advantage of
every situation to
increase rent on shops.