Traders protest multiple taxation in C’ River

Some traders from the popular Watt Market in Calabar on Tuesday besieged the premises of the Cross River State House of Assembly to protest against multiple taxation.

The women carried placards with inscriptions to show their grievances and wore mainly black clothes.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mrs. Eno Ekpeyong,

said the market women had been paying separate taxes to authorities of the Calabar South Local Government Area as well as that of the state Internal Revenue Service.

Ekpeyong said that the aim of the protest was to appeal to the lawmakers to come to their aid.

She said, “We are market women, we don’t have lock-up shops, we keep our goods in the open table market and sell and yet tax collectors won’t allow us do our business.

She appealed to the government to look into their plight in order to enable them return to the market.

Addressing the women on behalf of members of the assembly, Mr. Alex Irek, who represents Obubra State Constituency in the Assembly,said a bill to harmonise multiple taxation in the state was already on the floor of the assembly.

PUNCH