Chairman of the Cross River Anti-Tax Agency, Bishop Emmah Gospel Isong at the press briefing in Calabar, Thursday
Cross River agency to name, shame politicians behind illegal taxation
[From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar]
Chairman of the Cross River Anti-Tax Agency, Bishop Emmah Gospel Isong says he will name and shame politicians in the state who are behind illegal taxes.
He said the politicians are enemies of the people and democracy and as such do not deserve to be part of the democratic family in the state.
Bishop Isong made this known in Calabar while reacting to recent observations and the operations of recalcitrant tax consultants purportedly representing local government councils and MDAs of the government.
According to Bishop Isong, “I will profile the name of politicians who are constantly recalcitrant to His Excellency’s policy on taxes and give the electorate option of accepting such human beings into our democratic family.
“I will publish their names if they continue in this activity.
“When we arrest some of these boys we interview them and they mention their names, these are my evidence so I am not going to be mentioning people’s names because I don’t like your suit but because you are part of it.
“Parties can nominate them but they must fail elections at local government because they are enemies of the people and enemies of democracy.
“How do you know that a particular local government chairman is not part of the system, if you are the chairman of XYZ local government, and your streets are filed with boys wearing uniform and carrying ID Cards and attacking people, you don’t need rocket science to know they are involved”, Bishop Isong said.
He stressed that the governor’s policy against illegal taxation has not waned and they are not frightened by the shylock tax agents who continue to extort the people.
He also said illegal tax is an economic crime and they will also partner with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to prosecute the politicians behind this act.
He called on the citizens of the state to stop blaming anti-tax agency but should cooperate with them and fight the menace.
