LAWYER DRAGS OKOWA TO COURT OVER PASSENGER WELFARE LEVY

A Human Rights Lawyer and Activist, Oghenejabor Ikimi hasdragged Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to the  State High Court sitting in Otor-Udu
, overthe controversial passenger welfare levy recently introduced by the
stategovernment.The firebrand legal luminary in a Suit No:  OUHC/111/2016
OGHENEJABOR IKIMI, ESQ., VS.GOVERNOR OFDELTA STATE and 2 ORS, wants the
Court to determine the following:1.  WHETHER theDefendants’ Passenger
Welfare Scheme and the daily tax paid by operatorsof   motorcycles
and  tricycles   in   Delta  State   are   in  tandem   with
the  taxes   and   levies approved for collection by StateGovernment
under Part II of the Schedule to the Taxes and Levies (Approved Listfor
Collection) Act, 2004 (as amended).2. WHETHER the Defendants can collect
taxes and levies thatare not listed in Part II of the Schedule to the
Taxes and Levies (ApprovedList for Collection) Act, 2004 (as amended) in
Delta State.3. WHETHER the assessment or collection of taxes or levieson
behalf of the Defendants by private tax consultants or private
individualsand bodies is in tandem with the provisions of Sections 2(1), 3
and 4 of theTaxes and Levies (Approved List for Collection) Act, 2004 (as
amended).Besides, he wants the Court to consider the following
provisions:Part II of the Schedule to the Taxes and Levies (Approved List
for Collection)Act, 2004,   Part  II   of   the  Schedule   to
the  Taxes   and   Levies  (Approved   List   for  Collection)
Act,(Amendment)Order, 2015 and Sections 2(1), 3 and 4 of the Taxes and
Levies (Approved Listfor Collection) Act, 2004.The Claimant’s claim
against the Defendants jointly andseverally is as follows:a) A Declaration
that the Defendants’ Passengers WelfareScheme and the daily tax paid by
operators of motorcycles and tricycles inDelta State are  not in tandem
with the taxes   and  levies   approved   for  collection   by
State  Government  under   Part  II   of   the Schedule to the Taxes and
Levies(Approved List for Collection) Act, 2004 (as amended).b) A
Declaration that the Defendants cannot collect any taxor levy not listed
in Part II of the  Schedule   to   the  Taxes   and   Levies  (Approved
List   for  Collection)   Act,   2004  (as amended).  c) A  Declaration
that the  assessment  or collection  of  taxes or  levies on   behalf of
the Defendants by private taxconsultants or private individuals or bodies
is not in tandem with theprovisions of Sections 2(1), 3 and 4 of the Taxes
and Levies (Approved List forcollection) Act, 2004 (as amended).d)
Perpetual  injunction   restraining   the  Defendants   from
further  collecting   Passengers Welfare   Scheme  levies   and
motorcycle  and   tricycle   taxes  in   Delta   State  as   same
contravenes   Part  II   of   the  Schedule   to   the  Taxes   and
Levies  (Approved   List   for Collection) Act, 2004 (as amended). e)
Perpetualinjunction restraining the Defendants from further collecting
taxes and levies inDelta State that  are not  listed in Part II  of the
Schedule to theTaxes and Levies(Approved List for Collection) Act, 2004
(as amended).  f) Perpetual   injunction  restraining   the
Defendants  from   further   using  private   tax consultants orprivate
individuals or bodies for assessing and collecting taxes and levies
onbehalf of the Defendant in Delta State as same negates the provisions
ofSections2(1),  3   and  4   of   the  Taxes   and   Levies (Approved
List   for   Collection)   Act,  2004   (as amended). AND any
othersuitable relief or other orders this Honourable Court may deem it to
make in thecircumstance.