Public Outcry Against EKIRS Chairman Reducing Oyebanji’s Popularity, Acceptance 

… As NUJ Warns 

By Joseph Sunday 

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Public outcry against the Chairman of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Olaniran Olatona has erupted like a volcano in the State, thereby threatening the current popularity and acceptance of the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, and prompting the Nigeria Union Of Journalists, Ekiti State Council issuing a warning through a Communique raised at its September Monthly meeting held on Wednesday. 

According to the Communique issued by the Nigeria Union Of Journalists, Ekiti State Council, it advised the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to as a matter of urgency call Mr Olaniran Olatona, the Ekiti State Chairman of the Internal Revenue Service and his staff to order, before they do more damage to his administration in the State. 

The NUJ also advised the Governor to ensure the staff of the Revenue Service in Ekiti State are made to operate with decency and professionalism in the course of collecting taxes in the State.

Adding, NUJ in its communique exposed the alleged uncivilized conduct, indiscipline and high-handedness of the Chairman and his staff, saying it is capable of instigating the public against the government and threaten the existing peace of the State. 

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The union affirmed that the call became imperative following petitions and reports by traders and concerned citizens about their persistent  harassment and intimidation by workers of the EKIRS on the order of the Chairman, Olaniran Olatona.

The communique reads: “We have been inundated with petitions and calls from members of the public over the uncivilized mode of operations of the Chairman and his team in the name of making money to meet up with target.

“The people who spoke with us lamented that Olatona and his team has been going about in the dead of the night to seal- off shops and bill traders arbitrarily  without considering the current economic realities and nature of their business.

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“They alleged that the Service bill them between fifteen to forty thousand Naira for shops that has a stock of less than fifty thousand Naira adding that whenever they visit the office to bargain, the workers treat them with disdain and use words against them as if they are slaves”. 

The complainants alleged that Olatona and his workers are always in the habit of bragging that they have full autonomy to do whatever they like and that even the Governor can not stop them.

Considering this petitions and report, NUJ at it’s congress foresee great danger, hence the call on the Governor to intervene and call the Chairman to order before the people start attacking his government.

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