Following the protest by market women at the Eziukwu Market, Aba, Abia State, over the payment of N18,000 levy by some traders, the state government has explained that the amount was an agreement between the traders and the state government.that the N18,000 is the consolidated revenue from about seven levies ranging from tax, stallage, sanitation to security, previously charged the traders by different government agencies.
“The N2,000 and N2,500 levies the traders said they have paid are part of the N18,000. All the levies were bundled into the N18,000.“The stallage, sanitation, security levies are built into the money. It contains about seven revenue subheads, including the reduced tax of N3,600, sanitation fees, PPDF, business premises, fire service charge, market security, maintenance of drainage channels and annual stallage fees.
“And the N18,000 is an annual payment. The problem is that some of the traders don’t want to pay a dime.