The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) surveyed them on the effects of multiple taxes on businesses.

Anambra residents told NAN that touts posing as unions collect tolls on behalf of the state government in the transport sector.

Shuttle bus operator Mr. Odira Nnalue stated they were still paying multiple taxes despite the Anambra Government's centralization efforts.

Nnalue alleged touts collected union levies from them daily despite the government's monthly one-off levy.

He said several charges and pricey gas and car maintenance were hurting businesses.

Godwin, a filling station manager, said they were charged an unified tax on many revenue heads.

Shop owner Mr. Ogoing to Ofodike claimed Anambra businessmen suffered triple taxation.

Ofodike paid stallage, market development, market merchants, pollution/sanitation, biometric market registration, and market operation costs.

Gov. Chukwuma Soludo stated his administration was fighting dual taxation.

Chukwuma said stakeholders his administration was developing a progressive, simple, and technology-driven tax structure.

He stated the new method will eliminate touts and minimize corporate burdens.

Soludo says our tax system would be straightforward, progressive, and technology-driven.

“The touts will be removed because these people collecting various levies are illegal agents who ensure that 90% of the money collected reaches private pockets, not the government.

In Ebonyi, business owners said the development was hurting them, from rising costs to a tough economy.

They recommended the federal and state governments to seriously monitor tax collectors, especially on highways and within states.

They claimed random taxation of three to four.

Goat dealer and resident Mr. Ukasha Muhammed said monitoring their activities will help the authorities identify and address issues.

Muhammed said the highway charges for haulage, veterinary services, and transportation.

He said each goat and cow cost between N10,000 and N50,000 from purchase.

“After many highway fees and levies, when you come down to the state, you will pay another tax making products expensive in the market.

“State revenue collectors are not helping us. Muhammed said IGR cost between N300 and N3,000 per goat and cow.

Mr. Haruna Sariki, another dealer, claimed that most collectors impersonated governmental and private revenue officers and taxed enterprises many times.

Sariki urged governments to curb illegal roadblocks and imposters that frustrated business owners.

He said goats cost between N70,000 and N150,000, depending on size, instead of N25,000 and N45,000.

He added that a truckload of livestock can cost N1.8m in taxes instead of N600,000.

The taxes worried state tricycle operator Chinedu Mba.

Fashion designer Mrs. Amaka Okereke said she was puzzled about collectors and authentic groups.

Okereke advised governments to streamline and manage revenue and tax collectors.

Okereke said they frequently tag names to levies paid.

Multiple taxation also plagues Enugu State.

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) petty traders have criticized state taxes and levies.

Market leadership, local, and state governments introduced several taxes and levies, according to NAN correspondents who visited Enugu markets.

NAN said that taxes/levies included security, cleanliness, yearly, and late packing fines/levies.

New charges like the daily wheelbarrow hawkers' permit and daily ground space levy were collected everyday.

Mr. John Okezie, a minor merchant in Mayor Market, Agbani Road, said that taxes, especially daily ones, were overwhelming traders, who sometimes had poor patronage.

Okezie said: “I pay N150 each day for ground space to display my cucumber.

“After paying this money, the patronage is not arriving to off-set my transit and eating for the day; it becomes unpleasant parting with the N150 to the market leadership,” he stated.

Mr. Chibuzor Nwant to, an Ogbete Main Market trader, urged the state and local governments to harmonise market taxes and levies to rein in market leaders.

“As it stands, we only trade for five days inside a week,” Nwant to remarked, adding that one dealer paying five or six taxes and levies in a month is too much.

“I think that payment of these levies/taxes is causing further economic hardship and strain on traders in the market when the economy and patronage had continued to deteriorate for nearly six months,” he complained.

Miss Joy Ogbodo, a Kenyatta Market wheel barrow hawker, said she paid N100 per day despite selling veggies for barely over N1,000.

Help us, authorities and listeners. "At least those of us selling products close to worthless should be spared from the daily taxes," Ogbodo begged.

POS operator Mrs. Chioma Iyiveze remarked that various taxation prevented Small and Medium Enterprises in Enugu state and Nigeria from expanding.

Iyiveze said struggling SMEs in Enugu have to pay land, ESWMA, water, and other unauthorized taxes.

“It is painful especially with the current increases in transportation caused by boost in petroleum product,” she complained.

In keeping with the Joint Tax Board (JTB) proposal, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the state governor, launched the Single Interstate Road Stickers (SIRTS) and Single Haulage Fee (SHF).

The governor said it boldly promoted road tax uniformity throughout the state and beyond to avoid double or multiple taxes.

(Source: www.vanguardngr.com)