By TYAV SAM TYAV, Makurdi –
About fourteen (14) trucks loaded with Ilmenite (Titanium-Iron Oxide), mined from Kwande local government area of Benue State have been impounded by the Benue State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS).
A statement, by the Media Assistant to the Acting Executive Chairman of the service, Jacinta Benard said the BIRS boss, Emmanuel Agema who was accompanied by some officials as well as a team of Policemen to Adikpo, said the trucks were impounded for not paying the due and appropriate taxes as contained in the Benue State Revenue Administration Law.
The statement quoted the BIRS boss as also expressing dismay over the none transparent nature of the miners activities which he noted makes tax assessment for the companies inadequate also charged field staff of the service to always make independent investigations to ensure proper assessment of the tax payers within their areas of coverage.
In a related development the Benue State Government is to scrutinize the data of miners operating in the state so as to help address the insecurity issues associated with illegal mining.
The Benue State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Barr. Fidelis Mnyim, disclosed this during an on the spot visit to some mining sites in Kwande following the impounding of trucks by BIRS for tax evasion.
Mnyim, who is also the Benue State Chairman of Mineral Resources and Environment Management Committee (MIREMCO), said in addition to the efforts of the committee which aims at maximizing benefits for the state from her abundant mineral resources through the 13 percent derivation, the committee is meeting with all licenced miners in the state to have them properly documented and flush out all illegal miners whom he noted were mostly associated with insecurity issues.
In their separate comments at one of the mining sites visited, the Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Solid Minerals, Mining and Forestry, Hon. Stephen Uta and the Caretaker Chairman of Kwande local government, Mark Hule, both expressed displeasure at the level of insecurity surrounding the communities where the mining companies operate.
The delegation which was led by the Acting Executive Chairman which also visited traditional rulers in the area for discussions was accompanied by the Director Enforcement, Titus Ningir and the Director Tax Assessment, Titus Aondoakaa among others.
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