Non-Payment of Taxes

Limbe government delegate welcomes finance minister to MTO Limbe

Limbe Gov’t Delegate calls SONARA to order
- Andrew Motanga wondered aloud why the taxes have not been sent to the council even though SONARA claims to have paid
By Nyah Penn in Limbe
The government delegate to the Limbe City Council, Andrew Motanga Monjimba has said that the council is suffering from acute financial crisis because the major taxpayer to the council, SONARA, is not paying its taxes.
    Andrew Motanga made the remark in his scripted welcome address during the ceremony to officially launch the Medium Size Taxpayers’ Office in Limbe, by the Minister of Finance, on Tuesday 10 March 2015.
    “I cannot conclude my welcome address without mentioning the precarious financial situation of the Limbe City Council. This situation stems from the fact that the major taxpayer to the city council, SONARA, is not paying its taxes,” Andrew Motanga complained, noting that even though SONARA claims to have paid her taxes in Yaounde, the council is yet to receive her quota from the money.

    “I learnt that SONARA has already paid its taxes and the money is lying in Yaounde. If that is true, they should send it to us because we badly need it,” Andrew Motanga said, to the visible discomfort of the GM of SONARA, Ibrahim Talba Malla.
    Welcoming the Minister of Finance and his entourage to Limbe, the government delegate prayed them to enjoy their stay in “the city of friendship and opportunities.”
    He thanked Minister Alamine Ousmane for creating the MTO in Limbe, saying it is a sign of government’s commitment to develop and embellish the sea-side city.
    But Andrew Motanga also used the occasion to decry what he described as “inappropriate allocation of tax revenue for decentralized territorial collectives.” He urged the Finance Minister to ensure a more equitable redistribution of tax revenues so that no one should feel cheated.
    Mr. Motanga emphasized on the need for a better collaboration between councils and the taxation department, so as to boost revenue collection and tax recovery.
     Taking advantage of the “God sent opportunity” of the inauguration of the MTO, Limbe, Motanga urged the Minister of Finance to consider transferring to the Limbe City Council all her financial dues still in the government’s coffers. He said because money from taxes is not paid to the council, many development projects have been stalled.
    “We cannot provide water and electricity, build bridges and roads, create green amusement parks etc because of lack of funds,” Andrew Motanga said.
    In his response to the government delegate, the Minister of Finance promised to treat the issues raised as a matter extreme urgency and importance. He said there was no cause for the populations of Limbe to despair.