*Monday Punch to Prof. Soludo on his Developmental Agenda for Ndi Anambra:*

By Paschal Candle.

It is No longer news that This present Government of Prof. Soludo is very insensitive to the Plights Ndi Anambra and Ndi Igbo Living and doing Business in Anambra State. Every Part of State is bleeding as a result of Heavy Taxation they are being subjected to. Many Businesses are being closed down, Keke Drivers are being hunted down to pay 15,000 as their Monthly Tax to the Government, which only Prof. Soludo can say how he arrived at. The same goes to Shuttle Drivers, Bus Drivers and so on.

The same Government have started collecting Loading and offloading fees. If you import a Container into Anambra State, before you offload the container, you must to Anambra State Government N30,000.00. Before you load the container, you must pay the same amount. The lowest amount you can pay for any loading and offloading in this State is N3,000.00 depending on the size of the truck. Also, all these Businesses men pay their taxes to the Government, they also pay for their shops and sanitation fees and other fees in the various markets they are trading. So why these amount. How did we get here.

As if this is not enough, Governor has directed every shop owner to pay Stamp duty of N50 to every business Transaction of over N1000.00 carried out in their shops. On Top of this N50 stamp duty, these Shop owners pay over N36,000.00 for Aswama Fees, Over 18,000 for business Premises and so many other levies. My question has been, who will pay the stamp duty, the customer or the shop owner? How does he intend to collect the money. On top of collecting these stamp duty, Banks are at one side collecting their own stamp duty from every transactions done in all the bank customers account. So, People are paying double Stamp Duties at the same. It is interesting time in Anambra State.

How, I have this to ask Prof Soludo and APGA Government in Anambra State? Was this Part of what Mr if not broken, why amend it, promised Ndi Anambra. Today,Prof Soludo has made This Tax from Informal Sector only source of the State IGR.

The Same Professor Soludo told Ndi Anambra during Campaign that he will use his International contact or Foreign Partners to come and develop Anambra State. Is collecting of these Taxes from the Poor and improvised Anambrians part of importation of Foreign Partners? Or are they the International Contacts Prof. Soludo wants to use to develop the State.

Today in Onitsha, Ndi Agbero has been upgraded to wear Yellow aprons and they have become nightmares to the Residents of Onitsha and its environs. Is this Part of making Anamabra African-Dubai-Taiwan initiative of Prof. Soludo.

These Agberos have become a Competent courts in Anambra State. They arrest and charge you the amount you will pay. Even on the day of sanitation, they arrest you for walking around or going out and charge you to pay.

Ndi Anambra, for how long will you keep mute and allow Prof. Soludo and his agents get away with all these. Nigerian Constitution made it clear about Freedom of Movement. Arresting someone on the day of sanitation is not anywhere in the Constitution. Even the Traffic regulators have no right to arrest you and charge you to pay. It is only a competent court can do so.

On a finally note, it is very obvious that The State is broke and Broken. Prof. Soludo should come out clean and tell Ndi Anambra the true state of things in the State. Prof. We are still waiting for your foreign contacts. Many of the roads you awarded, we are yet to see actions and activities on those roads. A month has passed, going into the second month, nothing yet.

Prof. Soludo and APGA should give their desperate measures to generate money a human face. They should not be insensitive to the plights of the people considering what is happening in the country. The keke Drivers, shuttle Drivers, Bus Drivers and others in the informal sectors should be given a breathing space. Even those Federal Government Workers, how much is their Taxes to the Federal Government, talk of a man who is on the informal sector.

Many businesses are closing. Many people are already gone the State to Delta State. Many of these Keke Drivers have put their Keke’s for Sale? Is this part of the agenda of making Anambra an African-Dubai-Taiwan? Taxation is good for development, but it must have a human face.

Also, The Governor should into the salary of Civil Servants in the state. It is nothing to write home about. Fresh graduates in the state who are under level 007 and 8, earned between 36,000 to 40,000. Is this how they will pay for House rent, marry their own wives and raise their Children. Hosing and Transportation in Awka and it’s environs are nothin to write home about.

I am Paschal Candle. A public affairs analyst and Social Critic.