By Aherhoke Okioma
Non-indigenes doing businesses in Bayelsa state have been enjoined to channel complaints of poor treatment especially cases of multiple taxation to the appropriate authorities in the state for attention.
The senior special assistant to the Bayelsa state governor on non-indigene affairs, Chief Chinedu Mbah, stated this while speaking to journalists in his office at Etegwe-Yenagoa, stressing that he is aware that the non-indigenes constitute a very high number of traders and businessmen in the state and that despite the fact that taxation is not alien to Nigerians, their complaints of multiple taxation would be taken to the governor who will address it.
According to him various infrastructural projects going on in all parts of the state such as flyover, road construction on going were executed with the tax payers money in conjunction with revenue got from the federation account monthly.
He said the governor appreciates the contribution of non-indigenes to the development of the state before its creation and would not tax them arbitrarily, as the various tax policies introduced were people friendly and not meant to affect any section of the residents in Bayelsa state especially the non-indigenes whom the governor holds in high esteem which culminated in appointment of one non-indigene as commissioner and four others as special assistants.
He however appealed to them to pay their taxes as at when due
“Not too long the governor would come out with policies that will sensitize the citizenry on taxation” he assured.
