Ebonyi Quarry owners shut down operations Over Harassment By Revenue Agents
By Oko OMAKA
Consolidated Ebonyi Quarry Owners Association has shut down operations following incessant harassment and the illegal arrest of its chairman, Chief Chikaodiri Ojimba.
The Beagle News gathered that Ojimba, was arrested by the police on instruction of revenue agents over his refusal to remit government money into a private account.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday, at the quarry site Ezillo in Ishielu local government area of the State, one of the association members Mr. Mbam Sunday, said that they are not ready to work until their chairman is released unhurt.
According to him, their interest is to support Governor Francis Nwifuru, achieve his programme of lifting the state out of poverty and as such, will not allow any individual to defraud the state of its Internally generated revenue (IGR) from the mining site.
Another member, Mr. Emeka Nwodom, who also frowned at the unlawful arrest and detention of their chairman by the revenue agents, called on Ebonyi state Governor, Francis Nwifuru, to intervene and facilitate the release of their chairman unlawfully arrested by the police.
According to him, quarry owners will never allow imposition of agents in their mining site.
"Quarry mining of solid mineral is in the exclusive list of federal government and as such, we cannot accept any imposition of Agents.
"Our chairman called us for a meeting where we resolved that we shall not by any means, pay our money to any individual account but government account only, so that our government will get the exact amount of money generated from the mining site.
"But regrettably, we heard that our chairman was arrested by the agents of the illegal company that has been forcing themselves on us, maybe because it is owned by a highly placed person in the South East, they want to intimidate us.
"I want to assure the public that we from Ebonyi are ready to sacrifice everything to see our state money is not transferred to anyone personal account" Nwodom Vowed.
Nwodom called on Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, to intervene for the growth and good of the state which he is putting every effort to rebuild.
The revenue agents and the company could not be reached as at the time of filing this report.
Reacting, the Special Assistant to Governor on solid mineral, Chief David Ajah, enjoined the quarry dealers to be calm promising that Governor Francis Nwifuru will attend to their problems.
