From, Osemwengie Ben ogbemudia, Benin
The Edo state Internal Revenue Service yesterday intercepted 20 illegal park operators using reserved government land as Motor Park at the Oba Ovoramwen Square in Benin City.
The Executive Chairman of EIRS, Chief Oseni Elamah who led the raid in line with the directives of Governor Godwin Obaseki banning illegal revenue collection said the exercise was to inform, educate and enlighten Edo people to stop fuelling illegality in the state.
Chief Elamah explained that the exercise became pertinent following series of complains that some private individuals were using government lands as park and some others were collecting revenue from it without remittance to the government.
He said, the people are fueling the activities of the illegal revenue collectors by trading on walk-ways and major roads adding that when they will be made to face the law when caught.
“There is a total and complete ban on revenue collectors who are notorious for issuing tickets to workers of various parks in the state.
“Yesterday (Tuesday) in the IGR review meeting, we got a call from the Ministry of transport that some parcels of land acquired by the government have been converted to local parks by private persons and have been collecting revenue. So we came this morning (yesterday) to verify and it is true from what we have seen so far. The others trade on the properties even on the walk way and the main road.
“So we were following the directive that the governor has given and also we are appealing to our people to stop the illegal activities. People are trading on the walk way and they are paying taxes to some illegal people who are not contributing to government purse.
“We need to sensitize our people, we need to educate and enlighten them because it is not a job for government alone, we all need to join hands and eliminate illegal revenue by all means possible.
Elamah however stressed that, “When the people subject themselves to this illegality and there is little the government can do other than the raiding that we have done”.
Chief Elamah urged the media to help in sensitizing the people on illegal activities as adding that “for those who are caught in the act; they will be made to face the wrath of the law”.
One of the park operators, Mr Friday Okunbor explained that it was the State Chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN that gave permission to load buses in the government own land and were collecting revenue from them if not for the ban.
According to him, “It was when these road employees were working that they told us here to load here to Auchi”.
On her part, Mrs Agba Esther, a business woman at the king square who was apprehended by the revenue service confirmed that she pays a total of N1, 500 to N2, 000 daily to Lagos street community to display here wares in the walk way or the major road.
“At times i pay N1, 500, or N2, 000 in this place to display my goods and they said they are from Lagos street community”. She said.