MOTORISTS LAMENT CLOSURE OF FILLING STATIONS IN EBONYI EVERY MONDAY

REPORTER: AMECHI ODO

Motorists in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, have expressed frustrations over the continuous shut down of filling stations every Monday morning by petroleum dealers operating in the area.

The development followed a legal tussle between the state government and the petroleum dealers in the state over compulsory payment of income tax.

Two of the motorists, Mr. Sunday Ogodo and Celestine Omege, said the shutting down of filling stations on Mondays in recent times had affected haulage and commuter services in the state and appealed to the state government to settle with the dealers out of court.

Investigations revealed that the state government instituted a suit after sealing seventeen filling stations over alleged violation of income tax remittances.

The Secretary of Petroleum Dealers Association of Nigeria in the State, Mr. Livinus Chukwuani, explained that the decision to shut down filing stations any day the case comes up for hearing in court was in line with a directive from Depot community in Enugu.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU