The Imiringi community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has allegedly imposed levies ranging from N1000 to N5000 as registration fees for non-natives of the community residing and doing business in the area.
Some of the non-indigenes residing in the community confided in Niger Delta Trust that they were levied various sums ranging from N1000 to N5000 depending on the nature of business they do or how financially buoyant the community leadership felt they are.
The 1999 constitution guarantees a Nigerian from any section a right to reside and do business in any part of the country without molestation.
However, the non-natives, who said they were afraid to speak out even when they were living in the midst of intimidation, alleged that motorcycle, tricycle operators and shop owners were levied N1000 as registration fees while N5,000 levy was imposed on timber dealers, farmers and others carrying out business in the forest.
The Public Relations Officer of Imiringi Community, Mr. Adu Wilfred, who confirmed the imposition of levies recently during a meeting between the community leaders and Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, explained that the N5,000 levy was imposed on only timber dealers, farmers and others carrying out business in the forest.
Adu also said N1, 000 was being collected as registration fees from non-indigenes doing business in the community such as commercial tricycle and motorcycle riders as well as shop owners to enable the community respond to issues concerning their safety.
Also, a member of the Imiringi Council of Elders, Chief Otobo Bamekpar, explained the levy was not a monthly or yearly tax, but rather a one-time payment to guarantee the non-indigenes access to the community forest for their economic activities.
Already, Bayelsa State government has frowned at the action of the leaders of the community and urged the leadership of communities in the state to operate within the confines of the law and the Nigerian Constitution.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who met with the leadership of the community condemned the action.
He said in a statement by his media aide, Doubra Atazi, that though the state government had directed the profiling of visitors in communities for security reasons, it did not at anytime mandate communities to make non-indigenes pay for such registration.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo said the alleged collection of registration fees was not in tandem with the policy thrust of the government.
He said that the reasons advanced by the Imiringi community for imposing the levies on the non-indigenous business were not tenable.
He directed the leadership of the community to immediately stop imposition of registration fees.
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