Multiple Taxation: Hotel Proprietors In Imo Lock Horns With State Government

OGBONNA IWUAGWU

Imo State Hoteliers Association, ISHA, has disagreed with the State Government on multiple taxation system, which they alleged has continued to take the lion share of the profits they make. 

The system, which started  from the past government administration  of  former Governor  Rochas Okorocha,  now Senator,  representing  Orlu Senatorial zone, has  continued  to rear its ugly head in the present government headed by Governor Emeka Ihedioha. And the group mostly affected,  known as the Hoteliers’  Association (ISHA), has cried out to Governor Emeka Ihedioha requesting him to intervene so as to reduce the  burden on  them because it has taken toll on the profits made from their businesses.

The association expressed apprehension that the hotel and hospitality industry might go into extinction if  the State Government  failed  to save them from multiple taxation and its associated problems.

Chima Chukwunyere, the Managing Director of Domino Paramount  Hotel and the Chairman of the association, said some people who worked for the past government of Rochas Okorocha  had infiltrated  the present  revenue team masquerading themselves as government revenue consultants.

He has therefore, appealed to Governor Ihedioha to use his good office to fish out the infiltrators in line with the spirit of Rebuild Imo agenda.

Chukwunyere alleged that the infiltrators often  connived with some staff of the judiciary to secure kangaroo Court judgments against members of the association  on trumped-up charges with prohibitive fines.

Chukwunyere said that N10,000 was the fine previously imposed on any hotel that defaulted in controlling waste water from its premises from gushing out to pose a health hazard to the public but had since been hiked to N750,000 by the aggressive revenue consultants.

He said that documents exist which show that the fine was fraudulently hiked from N10,000 to N750,000 by revenue agents and their judiciary  staff collaborators.

“Governor Ihedioha upon assumption of office promised us a clear departure from the ugly past of the Okorocha administration and we are calling on him to spare us from the hands of these hawks, who do not mean well for our state” Chukwunyere, said.

He posited that the hotel and hospitality sector is the biggest industry and the largest employer of labour in Imo State after the State Government and noted that the unpatriotic activities of consultants if left unchecked by the government, would kill the hotel and hospitality sector and that some of the hotels would be forced to close business and their workers thrown into the already saturated labour market.

Meanwhile,  Governor Ihedioha, who recently briefed  journalists  at his private  residence at New Owerri, denied the  existence of the multiple taxation system,  saying, that his government  has abolished the multiple tax system but urged the people to pay their taxes.

He however, disclosed that there would be one form of tax or the other which would be paid for refuse disposal saying it must be a bill that has a human face.