Umahi threatens to seal debtor-banks in Ebonyi after 7-day ultimatum

The Ebonyi Government has threatened to seal some banks operating in the state owing it debt amounting to N4 billion if they failed to pay back after seven days. The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Sen. Emmanuel Onwe, who made the threat on Wednesday in Abakaliki, said that the managers of the affected banks were taking the government for granted.
He warned that the premises of the affected banks would be sealed in accordance with the revenue law of the state, adding that there would be no compromise. ``The affected banks are still retaining excess charges, excess deductions, withholding taxes, excess interest charges, non-remittance of Pay As Your Earn (PAYE) taxes,” he said.
Onwe announced that the state Executive Council had approved N100 million to pay the fees of Ebonyi state students studying abroad on scholarship. ``The exco also approved N43 million for students studying marine engineering abroad; government will also pay the scholarship of its students studying within the country,” he said.
The commissioner said that the executive reviewed the state of uncompleted contracts across the state and expressed frustration with the lackadaisical attitude of some contractors handling government projects. ``The government has made several efforts to move the contractors to site, but most of them did not comply; government may have to review their contracts.
``The government views the contractor’s attitude as hostile which we will not ignore; the contractors are given seven days to mobilise to their various sites. ``Contractor who claim the government is owing them should come for negotiations,’’ he said,
Onwe clarified that the determination of the government to deal with contractors who refused to mobilize to site does not in any way mean probe of the past administration in the state.