By kelechi ugo
Members of Emblems and Badges Marketers Association and commercial motorists in Imo State have been thrown into heavy battle following the newly introduced stickers by the Ministry of Transport and Tourism.
The battle sprang up on at Ministry of Transport and Tourism premises where the two parties were invited by the commissioner incharge of the Ministry, Hon. Barr. Henry Iheukwumere Alaribe to discuss the way forward.
Speaking with Journalists, Hon. Chief Bright Opara who is the chairman of Emblems Dealers Association Bond of Trustees pointed out that the commissioner of Transport and Tourism, Barr. Alaribe wants to institute trouble into Imo State transport sector by introducing a new sticker to the commercial motorists hence Emblems and Badges Dealers Association has reached a Memorandum of Understanding, (MOU), with the state Board of Internal Revenue for selling of Emblems to Commercial Motorists in January this year.
Chief Opara disclosed that the interactive session between the association and the Hon Commissioner did not go down well with the them adding that the association has paid to Board of Internal Revenue as yearly take off grant and have not gotten any meaningful amount.
“We are not happy today because the interaction we had with the Hon. Commissioner regarding Emblems issue is unfair and we cannot accept injustice. The reason is that the Imo State Board of Internal Resources has given us a contract and we have paid some cash into its account. Some commercial motorists have bought Emblems from us. I wonder why the state government wants to introduce other stickers. This will cause heavy problem in the state”, he lamented.
He further maintained that the Board of Internal Revenue remains the authentic body that collects all the internal generated revenue in the state expressing shock to hear from the commissioner that all the ministries are now entitled to collect revenue.
Adding his voice, the former President and Director of Emblems and Badges Marketers Association, Chief Nkem Ohayagha disclosed that the body has been incharge of selling emblems and badges since the creation of Imo State, adding that the State Board of Internal Revenue has assigned the Association to commence selling of emblems. Chief Ohayagha disclosed that the body has paid sum of 21million naira to Imo State government in 2011 and also paid 50million naira out of 70million naira which the body suppose to the BIR in 2014.
Meanwhile, the Transport and Tourism Commissioner, Hon. Barr. Promised to calm the situation.
