Fakoyejo OlalekanThe Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, has cautioned market unions against demanding taxes from hawkers, vulcanizers, wheelbarrow pushers, and other blue-collar job holders.
Soludo said the informal business operators should be left out of the tax bracket, and threatened to dissolve any market union accused of imposing taxes on them.
His order came four months after reports that the Anambra state government, alongside the internal revenue service, are planning to start taxing hawkers, vulcanizers, wheelbarrow pushers.
The issue of taxing the blue-collar jobs was triggered by the decision to register them through biometric enrolment in June. However, in a new development, Soludo statement showed the state government has no plan to tax them.
On Wednesday, during the second phase of the open bidding for revenue concessions at the Government House, Awka, the Anambra State government said the “poor people” shouldn’t be harassed by the market union.
“Wheelbarrow pushers must not pay any fee in the state. Vulcanizers operating along the road should also cease paying any fee to anyone. Hawkers shouldn’t pay any fees. These poor people should stop being harassed.
“This message is for the Market unions. If they are found with any evidence, that union will be dissolved with immediate effect. We want to build a society where the poor feel empowered and where the rich can get more resources to create wealth and employment.”
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