7,000 have Fled Cross River due to illegal taxes – Bishop Isong

 Joseph Obung | Blueprint 

The national publicity secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and presiding Bishop of the Calabar-based Christian Central Chapel Int’l (CCCI), Bishop Emmah Isong, has said that no fewer than 7000 members had left his Church within the past twenty years and relocated their businesses to neighbouring states because of illegal taxations in Cross River state.

Isong, who made the remarks Tuesday, in Calabar in a chat with journalists, stated that why he accepted to chair the state anti-tax agency, noting that he was out to join hands with Governor Ben Ayade to ensure the menace of taxation was reduced drastically due to its negative effects on Cross River state economy and the Church.

“Seven thousand of my members left our Church to other states because of an uncomfortable and un-conducive business environment connected to illegal taxation. As a financial expert who was the best graduating student in banking and finance of the University of Calabar, I see my appointment to head the anti tax agency as an opportunity to correct the anomaly instead of fasting for 40 days for God to retain our members in Church.

“There has been a mass exodus of people. I mean businessmen from the state and the reasons are connected to illegal taxation and unfriendly business environment,” he stated.

 He said his agency had started arresting violators of the state government law on taxation adding  that the arrest of violators on Monday was a pointer to the fact that the agency meant business and would prosecute such offenders.

“Our concern is that our people should go about their businesses without fear of molestation from tax touts in consonance with executive fiat which released them from all forms of tax responsibilities and in line with Cross River state Tax Exemption law,” Isong stated.