All Banks Close Shop In Imo State In Protest

 

          ALL the commercial banks operating in Imo State have commenced indefinite strike following what they described as excessive tax which the state government imposed on them.

According to report reaching our news desk from the banks they claimed that government imposed the sum of N200,000 each on each bank operating in the state monthly.

The bank officials in the state, who preferred anonymity, said that all efforts made by the banks for the government to reduce the tax proved abortive, adding that if they were to pay this amount each of the banks operating in the state would pay N1.6 million annually.

Following this breakdown of negotiation between the government and banks, the banks union decided to pull their workers out of offices.

It was observed that customers of the various banks besieged the bank gates waiting anxiously to transact businesses with their banks.

Some of officials of the banks, who managed to come out of the gate that was under lock and key, told their customers to go home and wait further directive.

Efforts made by our correspondent to speak with the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy proved abortive as his phone was switched off.


It will be recalled that few days ago,we did an exclusive story on the state of insecurity in the state especially kidnapping which has almost paralysed all economic and social activities in the once peaceful state.