Business

Ilorin phone repairers decry KWSG neglect despite paying taxes

By Mike Adeyemi
Phone repairers at the popular challenge market in Ilorin have called on Kwara State Government to make available for them a computer village for their business as done in other state.
The chairman of the union, Mathew Alao said this during a briefing with our reporter on Friday at the market.
According to him,’ it is unfortunate that while our counterparts in other state ply their business under a good atmosphere, Kwara State government hasn’t deem it right to recognize our role in Kwara economy.’
“The place we occupied here was given to us by a family and several times we have appealed to the Kwara state government to provide us with a computer village just like we have in other state.
“I tried to write a proposal to the government on the need to give us a proper place to trade and to give us a soft loan to cushion our business, but all to no avail”, Alao said.
He added that despite their contribution to the Kwara economy, alongside huge taxes paid to the government, phone repairers at the market have been neglected by the government.
“Major business we do here is we sell phones, we repair phones and other accessories. Most of us are graduates and we paid our tax promptly to the authority of the government.
“We have many challenges at the market part of which we have escalated through writing to the government, but it hasn’t come into fruition. We have many workers under our payroll.
“We will be okay if government can give us a loan of like a million naira for a start, it would go a long way to boost our businesses,” he added.
He went on to lament the ordeal his members underwent during the covid-19 period which has grounded many of their businesses.
“The post covid-19 business activity here is not palatable at all. It is appalling that the government didn’t give us palliative at the time or captured us for any business relief.
“Most of our members are still paying their outstanding debts as a result the lockdown which paralyzed business activities in the market. The period was so tough for us, “he added.

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