WE Need Legislative Powers To Succed-Bishop Emmah Isong
The Chairman of Cross River state
Anti Tax Agency, Bishop Emmah Isong in company with his team members Wednesday in Calabar while addressing the leadership of the state Assembly pleaded for a legislation that will discard multiple taxation in the state in line with his Agency’s mandate.
Speaking further, the clergyman described the menace as unhealthy and anti-human which is inimical to the well being of the people. He blamed the sharp practices on previous epoch that had placed revenue collection on alliens whose sole objective is to suck the state dry thereby leading to economic draught with a resultant mass exodus of investors from the state.
“We cannot succeed without the makers of the law. The governor spoke in an executive fiat manner and we are working on the wings of that executive order. Without the necessary legislative backing, we can only bark but not bite.
“You may carry police and chase people up and down but when it comes to the nitty-gritty of law, you will lack the ingredients to prosecute and execute the policies.
“We bring our cry to you because the governor says he is exempting certain classes of people from taxation. So, we are here for you to help us generate necessary legislation to back up our activities and also give us legal legislative framework because it is not easy to fight a cartel.
“I can tell you that people are making millions daily and billions monthly from the state. These monies are not coming to the state’s treasury
“People are leaving Cross River state every week because of multiple taxation. The taxation is not even the problem but multiple taxations from different people and companies many of whom are not from cross river state. They come from outside neighbouring states, take the contract and they are brutal on Cross Riverians, they beat up people, enslave them and put them in bondage”. He said
In his response, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Eteng Jonas Williams, assured the Agency of the needed legislation in the discharge of her duties even as he described extortion as evil and sinful.
“Extortion is evil, sinful and we cannot as a government allow this.
“The Tax Exemption Law of 2015, which I sponsored exempted so many people and the amendment of the law to make sure everything is encompassed into one is in progress so as to strengthen the work of the agency”,
Recall that the state Governor, Sen, Prof Ben Ayade recently while inaugurating the state Anti tax Agency exempted low income earners from taxation.