Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has issued a stern warning to the members of the Board of Internal Revenue, instructing them not to impose levies and taxes on petty traders in the state.

The governor emphasized this directive during the swearing-in ceremony of the board and the Civil Service Commission at the State Executive Council Chambers, Government House Abakaliki.

Nwifuru urged the Civil Service Commission to initiate the training and re-training of the state workforce to enhance their performance, emphasizing the need for diligence in carrying out their responsibilities.

“I want you to improve our relationship with our workers and also ensure they are trained. The Head of Service should work with the Civil Service Commission to do this. We must always show an example because when the workers are trained, they will be more equipped to do the job,” he stated.

The governor called for a correction of anomalies in the Local Government system, expressing concerns about inappropriate postings and irregularities in the system.

He specifically highlighted the need to avoid collecting levies from small-scale traders and instead focus on those with substantial assets.

“Our local Government system is badly challenged, most of the council Chairmen influence posting of Heads of personal Management and Treasurers to them without recourse to the scheme of service. It is only there you can see a junior heading a Senior,” Nwifuru remarked.

He further challenged the revenue board to identify individuals with substantial wealth who are not paying taxes, rather than burdening small traders.

The governor stressed that such actions would alleviate hardship on the people.

The reconstitution of the Boards and commissions, according to the governor, is crucial to drive his development agenda and ensure the proper functioning of the state’s administrative bodies.