Following the controversies that trailed the introduction of the harmonized taxes by the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service, RIRS, the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW has stated that it would commence awareness campaign to ensures that union members treat commercial drivers in the state with respect while they embark on collection of union’s dues.
It would be recalled that commercial drivers and officials of the NURTW were engaged in a battle over which tickets to buy in running their daily business since government came up with the idea of harmonized taxes in the state.
Reacting to the development, the Deputy Vice-Chairman of the NURTW in the state, Monday Eliaza explained that the union had met with the board of internal revenue service and agreed on how to implement the new tax regime. He added that the harmonized tax did not stop commercial drivers from buying their daily tickets as the union dues is different from the newly introduced tax.
Also, the state chairman of the Union of Tippers and Quarry Employers of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, Godson Miller has reacted that the state government tax and the union dues are different.
He said that the IRS should steer clear as the state agents of the revenue service met its members and announced the harmonized tax in Etchie on Monday.
He explained that the trade union tickets are check up dues which are statutory tickets and argued that the trade unions are in the exclusive list of the federal government.
He stressed that no correlation between what the government is doing and the trade union activities.
He appealed to the board of internal revenue service to come out with clarifications on how the harmonized taxes regime operates.
