Community market shut after five people die in inter-communal clash

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) yesterday called on the Anambra State Governor,Charles Soludo, to end the alleged indiscriminate collection of taxes and levies, as well as enforce laws and procedures on unified tax collection and sharing systems in the state.

The group also demanded a probe into the finances of the Onitsha South Local Council Area, especially within the last eight months, to enhance transparency and accountability.

The call, the organisation said, followed a series of allegations of unregulated charges imposed on residents by government officials.

Intersociety, in a petition sent to Soludo, said that the state government under him must also publicly account for alleged bloated taxes and levies collected through public issuance of yearly financial reports, eliminate abuse of public office and corrupt practices, in accordance with Section 15 (5) of the 1999 Constitution.

Head of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi, and human rights lawyers, Chidinma Udegbulam and Joy Igboeli, who signed the statement, urged the state government to adhere strictly to relevant provisions of the Anambra State Fiscal Responsibility Law and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Soludo’s administration, above all, must remain focused and undistracted in the governance of Anambra by aggressively pursuing infrastructural and social services developments across the state, outside nepotism and favouritism, corruption and corrupt practises.

“Furthermore, based on our evidence, it has been observed that an estimated N1 billion is found to have been generated outside the law, including payments made in cash, in contradiction of official financial management regulations. These criminal taxes and levies are observed to have been collected using duplicity and criminalisation of taxes and levies by the outgone Onitsha South Local Council administration,” the statement said.

IN another development, the Anambra State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the Otuocha Market, following an inter-communal dispute between Aguleri and Umuoba-Anam communities that claimed five lives.

The Deputy Governor, Onyekachukwu Ibezim, gave the directive during an assessment visit to the affected communities.

He said the closure followed Soludo’s instruction. Ibezim, who is also the Chairman of the Anambra State Boundary Committee, said all economic and other activities in the market must remain suspended pending the conclusion of investigations and appropriate action against those responsible.