Determined to totally eliminate touting and harassment of residents under the guise of revenue drive, the Abia State Government, has approved the establishment of a Unified Taskforce to oversee every form of revenue enforcement across the state.
Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Umuahia on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting, said the unified taskforce would collect all revenue accusing to both the state and Local Government Areas.
He explained that membership of the taskforce was drawn from various Ministries and Agencies including the LGAs to ensure adequate representation of both tiers of Government, and to avoid abuse by anyone.
The Commissioner who said a retreat had been scheduled for the members of the taskforce next week to educate them on ethical conduct, said its inauguration would mark the end of harassment of innocent citizens in the name of revenue drive.
He warned that any act of irresponsibility by any of the taskforce member would be ruthlessly dealt with.
“That is a one – stop – taskforce that will handle all issues of enforcement and government initiatives across the state.
“Once they are in place, every issue about touting and unnecessary harassment of Abia citizens and residents would cease.”
Contributing, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma said the new approach was part of the strategies of the Gov. Alex Otti-led administration to sanitize every sector of the state.
Ekeoma who noted that the ban on touting in the state was still in place, said that anyone collecting revenue for Government under any guise is fake until the unified taskforce is inaugurated.
He explained that the Unified Taskforce was divided into 6 zones with Umuahia having two and Aba four zones, adding that the taskforce has coordinators with the responsibilities of ensuring that the activities of the taskforce are in tandem with its mandate.
He said:”The essence of what government is doing as far as this one is concerned is to bring to an end, anything that has to do with touting, illegal taskforce and all the rest of them . We were used to having individuals harassing people, intimidating them , extorting them in the name of taskforce.
“So, we want to move away from that old order and that is why, this one is well organized, the members will be known, they are all going to be remunerated. It is not the one where people will just do all kinds of things to make money and put in their pockets in the name of collecting revenue for government . They are going to operate in a most responsible manner.”
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