DO instructs Mayor to crackdown on tax evaders

The Assistant Divisional Officer for Bali, Ngoh Bilegue, has instructed the Mayor of Bali, Sylvanus Ngoh Ajong Dobgima, to clamp down on tax evaders in his municipality.

Ngoh was speaking in Bali, while supervising deliberations of Councillors during the examination of the 2015 Administrative and Management Accounts of the Council.

During the session, it was observed that the Council recorded adrop in revenue collection. This drop in revenue was blamed on tax evaders amongst them; commercial bike riders, friends and relations of Council staff.

Speaking during the session, Ngoh told Mayor Dobgima, to mobilise all Council workers and crackdown on tax evaders “Imagine that there are 100 commercial bike riders in town and we set a target of FCFA 200 for each rider to pay into the Council’s coffers, such moneycan help pay some outstanding debts.

There is no reason why these bike riders should not pay taxes to the State. So, Mr. Mayor, use every means at your disposal to ensure that all taxes are paid at the right time into the State treasury,” Ngoh said.

The Administrator chastised some Council workers who have been helping their relatives and friends to evade taxes.

“It is unacceptable that Council workers and Councillors confront revenue collection team in the field and keep insisting that this or that business premises should not be sealed because it belongs to a relative or friend and you come for Council sessions and expect to be paid sitting allowances, or as a worker, you expect a salary at theend of the month, no. you have to know your rights and your obligations,” he remarked.

While congratulating the Mayor for the achievements recorded so far, the Assistant DO said the results could have been spectacular if the Mayor collaborated with the tax force and Councillors in charge of collecting revenue. He prescribed team work to all the stakeholders of Bali Council.

Defending the Administrative and Management Accounts for 2015, Mayor Dobgima said the account in revenue and expenditure stood at FCFA 253,378,534, with a positive balance of FCFA 1,442,026.

During the period under review, the Mayor highlighted some major projects the Council realized like extending potable water supply to Mundum, Bossa and Bossa-Banja-Bali, construction of a bridge at Tim, the construction of modern toilets in schools, extension of electricity to Wosing, Kunyang, Dingbula, GBHS Bawock and Douala neighbourhoods.

Responding to the DO’s worry, Mayor Ngoh said he has not sidelined his deputies, “if I was working alone, my deputies would not have been working in the field on daily bases.”

He explained that out of the budget, a good chunk was consumed in paying salaries, pension, social insurance contributions, and assistance to persons with special needs among others.