Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, has moved against illegal revenue collectors and extortionists who are making life difficult for Enugu residents.

While the governor, yesterday, announced an immediate and indefinite suspension of daily toll collection from those who have no lockup shops, declaring it illegal, the Enugu State Police Command, on the same day, arraigned two before an Enugu Magistrate Court for stealing and forgery of receipts, as well as illegal revenue collection for the registration of native doctors in the state.

Mbah gave the order to suspend daily revenue collection from petty traders at a stakeholders’ meeting on the clarification and harmonisation of revenue collection in markets across the state, organised by the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service at the Old Government Lodge, Enugu.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Chidiebere Onyia, the governor said the action was in line with the new tax laws meant to support the poor, adding that a taskforce chaired by the SSG had been put in place to ensure maximum compliance, vowing that anyone caught collecting the N100 or N200 daily toll revenue, either for the government or an individual, would face the full weight of the law.

Mbah further charged the local council chairmen, traditional rulers, market leaders, the Presidents-General, civil society organisations, and the public to report any violation of the directive to the taskforce team.

While stating that the order did not affect traders in the lockup shops, who pay N30,000 or N36,000 yearly, he emphasised that the administration is averse to any actions that escalate the people’s sufferings.

Meanwhile, the police have arraigned Mr Christopher Ifeanyi, aged 65, and Chinenye Ugwu, a female, before an Enugu North Magistrate Court over the registration of native doctors with forged receipts of Enugu North Local Council Area of Enugu State, presenting the same as genuine to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.