Ebonyi State Governor,Engr. David Umahi, has ordered an indefinite
suspension of his special adviser on Internally Generated Revenue,Chief
Jeremiah Oketa, for action,described as going beyond the authority and
command of his office.
The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation,Senator Emanuel
Onwe, announced this on Thursday while briefing journalists on the outcome
of this week’s state executive council meeting in Abakaliki, the state
capital.
Onwe, who said that Special advisers and commissioners were no longer
authorized to collect any form of taxes or revenue for the state, added
that the board of internal revenue had been mandated by EXCO as the only
legal body to do so.
He also announced that it had become an offence for anyone to receive on
behalf of the government or pay any rent or revenue in cash to the
government.
The commissioner said, he Special Adviser on IGR, Chief J.O.J Oketa, has
been suspended indefinitely for going beyond the authority and command of
his office.
“Special Advisers and commissioners are no longer authorized to collect
taxes or revenue of any kind. The Only legal body now authorized by
council to collect revenue is the Ebonyi Board of Internal Revenue or any
agent that the board may legitimately engage to do so.
“All payments of all kind of revenue should be done in the way it goes
directly into the account of government.”
He explained that the Executive Council received presentations from
companies on enumeration and collection of taxes and revenues for
government without imposing hardship on Ebonyians.
Meanwhile, the state Executive Council has set up an advisory committee on
higher education comprising representatives of the three senatorial zones
of the state.
They include, Amb.Frank Ogbewu, Engr.Fidelis Nwankwo and Prof.Chigozie Ogbu.
Their function is to look into the situation of higher institutions in the
state, particularly the Ebonyi state university and recommend the way
forward for governmen