Banks, Hotels, Schools Sealed In Anambra Over Tax Evasion

No fewer than 35 buildings in the industrial town of Nnewi,
Anambra State were sealed today for refusal of the owners to pay property rate
of over N150 million.

According to the the Head, Human Resources and
Administration, Anambra Property and Land Use Charge (APLUC), Chinenye Okafor,
the closure followed various court judgments obtained against the tax evaders.
According to her, they have been pleading for the past 2 years to pay up, but
nothing has come forth.

The affected buildings include commercial banks, hotels,
business plazas, filling stations, hospitals, residential homes as well as
primary and secondary schools. She however said more buildings will also be closed down.
Hear her;

“We are advising property owners in the state, particularly
in Onitsha, Awka, Ogidi and Nkpor, to go and pay their property rates or face
the wrath of the law.

“We had discussion with some of them and they had promised
to pay since November 2014, but up till now, we have not seen any positive
response from them.

“We are no longer interested in continuing with appealing or
sensitising them because we have tried it for more than two years now and
nothing was coming out of it.

“The government has considered the second option of
litigation and enforcement this time after dialogue had failed,” Okafor said.