Onitsha South LGA Battles NIWA, Julius Berger to Recover N5,299 Billions



Titus Maduako Eleweke

Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State has stated that the duo of National Inland Water Ways Authority NIWA and the Julius Berger Construction Company PLC are owing the council N5,299 Billion tax arrears.

The Council said that it had approached the Revenue Court in Onitsha which has already delivered judgement in favor of the Council compelling Julius Berger to pay the sum of N99 million owed to it .



Similarly the Council said it has concluded arrangements to recover the sum of N5,2 Billion owed by NIWA through every legal means possible.



Secretary to the local government area, Paul Onuachalla stated this in a statement on Monday made available to our reporter in Awka , the State capital.

According to him, NIWA is indebted to the local government area to the tune of N5.2 billion which is the amount of revenue it illegally collected since 1999 to date.

He stated that the Julius Berger is owing about N99.9million being judgment debt to the council for years of unpaid taxes.

The council secretary lamented that Julius Berger has been ripping off on the revenue of the council for years.

Onuachalla pointed out that the activities of staff of the trio of Julius Berger Construction Company Plc, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and one Chief Ngozi Okpagu, who runs a motor park which he allegedly claimed to have acquired from NIWA, have "threatened the staff of the LGA and a Court bailiff who were directed by Court to do their lawful duties of serving the trio a court process.

He urged the Nigeria Army, a body that has well defined roles in the Constitution of protecting the territorial integrity of the country not to allow itself to be used as an instrument of recklessness and rascality by those meddlesome Interlopers.

He described as shocking the level of disregard to the laws of the land by not just private individuals but also corporate bodies and organizations that ought to have been well informed about the workings of he law and government.

According to Onuachalla, it is on record that Julius Berger Plc has been owing the Onitsha South local government are arrears of levies due to the council for at least four (4) years now.

He also stated that in view of this fact, the council had sent demand notice to them in September 2022, and further reminders for them to pay up.

"This is against the of the fact that we have sufficient evidence of service of demand notices before now yet the entity failed to heed to our notice."

"Consequently, the council was compelled to approach the Court and obtained debt judgment against Julius Berger Plc. The execution of the judgment was due on 25th of August 2023 and the High Court Onitsha division was led by the bailiff in company of staff of Onitsha South Local Govt Council."

"The Chief Security officer at the premises of Julius Berger Plc resisted the baliff and refused to allow him perform his duty and he consequently invited the Nigeria Army and on their arrival the army and chief security officer were shown copies of judgment under execution but they bluntly resisted alleging, there was non service of demand notice," Onuachalla said.

He said the army contended that they have order from Abuja to stop the execution of Onitsha High Court judgment and no particular reason was given to that effect.

According as law abiding citizens of Nigeria, the duo of the bailiff and staff of Onitsha South local government area managed to carry out their lawful duties but with a threat to their lives."

"On the said day while executing the judgment of the Onitsha High Court, both the bailiff and the staff of the Council area were beaten blue black an ultimately tear gassed."

"Against all odds and at the risk of their lives, the bailiff and our local government staff eventually managed to seal off two machines but unable to move them out of the premises because personnel of the Nigeria Army allegedly threatened to kill them as ordered by Abuja, except themselves and Julius Berger staff."

Onuachalla explained further that it is not only Julius Berger Plc that has been found neck deep in act of recklessness in alleged land Grabbing and abuse of payment of revenue, their co traveller, the Nigeria Breweries Plc were found to be also involved in the entire mess.

He stated that the brewery company is also involved in encroachment into public space of Onitsha South local government area with a breach of building line by about ten meters.

The council therefore warned all owners of illegal structures, land grabbers and criminal speculators that their days are numbered as the council would ensure that the laws of the land reigns supreme as nobody is above the law."

The council commended the state governor Prof. Charles Soludo for his doggedness and resoluteness in restoring purposeful and populist local government administration in Anambra state.

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