Fayose vows to close down banks over tax evasion

… Locks out civil servants for late coming

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has threatened to close down four commercial banks in the state over their alleged refusal to pay several millions of naira as taxes to government coffers.

Fayose, who issued the threat on Monday while holding a meeting with retirees in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, revealed that he had obtained a court order to shut down the affected banks.

The governor, who accused the banks of shortchanging government despite making huge profits from the state, said he would not look the other way and allow banks and other corporate organizations to defraud the state.

He warned the affected banks and other businesses owing government taxes and levies to pay same or risk being closed down.

Fayose also reiterated his decision to make all private nursery, primary and secondary schools in the state pay newly-imposed taxes before resumption by middle of September.

Each of the private schools is expected to pay N150,000 into government coffers before reopening for the new academic session, while anybody who purchases one cow to be slaughtered for any occasion will now pay N1,000.

Fayose also told the pensioners that he is targeting haulage vehicles passing through the state as taxes would now be imposed on them to generate revenue into government purse.

He pleaded with the pensioners to be patient with him, saying he has been battling with the debt left behind by the immediate past administration and promised to meet their demands as soon as financial situation improves.

Meanwhile, Fayose on Monday caught hundreds of civil servants by surprise when he stormed the state Secretariat unannounced for an unscheduled visit.

The governor, who arrived the secretariat at 8:00am, ordered that the main gate be locked against latecomers most of whom were unaware that the state chief executive was around.

Fayose, who wore a black suit over sky blue shirt and black trousers, stood on the road leading to the secretariat where he personally caught the erring civil servants.

 

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