Tax: Ekiti govt orders closure of abattoirs

Due to the alleged refusal of butchers to pay tax, the Ekiti State Government has ordered the closure of all abattoirs and banned the operation of butchers until further notice.
The order is contained in a statement by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Kehinde Odebunmi, on Friday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
The state government had imposed a daily levy of N1, 000 levy on every cattle slaughtered by butchers.
The statement said that the levy was part of alternative measures being explored to shore up the dwindling revenue of the state.
It said that the closure order would remain in force until the butchers complied.
It warned that any butcher who ignored the order by operating in existing or illegal abattoirs would pay N20,000 fine and also face the full wrath of the law.
The statement reminded various unions and associations of the need to cooperate and support the government’s policies and programmes.
However, in a reaction, a member of the butchers’ association, Mr. Muniru Jimoh, denied the allegation of refusal to pay the levy, saying instead that they were ready to support the government.
Jimoh said that the association was requesting the government to consider reducing the tax to N500 or less, due to the current economic meltdown.
Also commenting, a resident of Ado-Ekiti, Mrs. Olufunke Ogunlola, appealed to Governor Ayodele Fayose to lift the ban in the interest of the people.
Another resident, Mr. Jide Olaniran, also appealed to the state government to reconsider the closure order in the interest of consumers of meat who would suffer.