Maduako Igbokwe l Wednesday, April 6, 2022
ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – Despite banning of illegal collection of revenue by the governor of Anambra state Prof. Charles Soludo, Anambra State Tippers Association, ASTA is still extorting money from tipper drivers.
Our city and crime reporter who was at Iyiowa Odekpe sand beach , Ogbaru local government area discovered that ASTA men still collect N1000 from every tipper that load sand in the state.
One of the customer who came to buy sand at the beach was forced to pay N1000 before he could move out of the loading bay with the truck.
However, the buyer worried by the demand to pay N1000 requested to know who sent them and they graciously gave the number of person that sent them to collect money .
When the boys stationed to collect their money gave their oga’s number 07038328975 and was called he said that they collected money and don’t issues receipt for any payment.
According to him ” we don’t give receipt. All we know is to collect our money ”
When contacted the president of Sand Miners Association of Anambra state Sir, Chris Mbaegbu said that every day over 5000 trucks are loaded in the state and they collect N1000 per each tipper per trip. He said that money collected are not paid into government pockets but into individual pockets.
According to him, the money that are supposed to go into government pockets are going into private pockets in the state and must be stopped.
He explained that despite the present ban on collection of illegal revenue ,the act is still ongoing .
Speaking to our reporter, Vice Chairman of Iyiowa Odekpe Sand Beach Mr. Ejike Amakpo said it was highly regrettable that people will come to invest in the state and some individuals will be extorting investors.
“ I came from Lagos to invest in my state and the kind of taxation is too high .I never knew that coming to invest in my state was a mistake .People make life very difficult for us. It is said that the state government and the touts are making lives difficult for businessmen in the state” he said .
