Some appointees of governor of Anambra state have been fingered in the diversion of market IGR in the state.
One of those fingered is the PG of Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association ASMATA Chief Humphrey Chukwudi Anuna for conniving with some agents to ensure that revenue meant for Government is not remitted, he is also accused of over taxing traders in Anambra market which is causing disaffection between the trader’s, and the APGA Government in the state.
Chairman Anambra market ambassadors, Mr Oliver Nwachukwu, in an interview said he has already sent a protest letter to the Government of Anambra state about the development, but needed to talk to the press in case the letter does not get to the governor
He accused the PG of causing misunderstanding between them and the traders at Ochanja, Ogbogwu, Nnewi etc and the traders in almost all the markets are not happy with the Soludo’s administration. He said when they are not happy they direct it to the state government, APGA and the governor.
He asked the governor to help fish out those in his cabinet who have been working hand in glove with the PG to divert Government revenue. He lamented a situation where the PG in connivance with some persons in government house Awka increased stillage fees from 1220 to 14,200 and the balance of the Government revenue was diverted without being paid into Government account. All these things are happening because the PG sees Anambra market as his estate.
Mr Nwachukwu further alleged that the PG has his own receipts which he uses to divert money meant for the state government into his private account.
He thanked Dr Christian Madubuko for his efforts in fighting the menace. He said that the IGR of Anambra state has been hijacked by certain personalities in government house Awka, and that the government of Prof Charles Soludo needs to look at the protest letter sent to his email & Whatsapp, as he discovered that most regular mails are either re-written or discarded.
He commended the agenda of Prof Charles Soludo to develop Anambra state, but said that unfortunately these elements have refused to work for Anambra but have insisted on working for their personal interests in connivance with the PG ASMATA.
He therefore called on the Governor of Anambra state, Prof Charles Soludo to look into this matter as this is affected the Internally Generated Revenue of the government
Early this year Dr Christian Madubuko, Executive Director in charge of Operations at the Anambra Internal Revenue Service (AIRS), said about 50 per cent of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) accruable to the Anambra government is lost to leakages and activities of revenue thieves.
Madubuko, who is the leader of AIRS revenue mobilisation team, said the state was making just about ₦2 billion monthly out of the ₦4 billion potential profile.
He said the government had discovered the diversion of state taxes through fraudulent configuration of a retail banking agent which had been blacklisted.
He said investigation was ongoing to identify the beneficiaries of the fraud with the aim of bringing them to book, adding that the Police, Department of State Services (DSS) and other intelligence agencies had swung into action.
Madubuko, who also said that no fewer than 20 illegal revenue collectors had been arrested and handed over to the Police, added that they had been making useful confessions that would lead to the apprehension of those they were working for.
