Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has described as untrue an online publication credited to Governor Wike regarding his statewide broadcast on Monday, September 6, 2021.
In a statement signed by Mr Kelvin Ebiri, Special Assistant (Media) to the Governor, it said that in the said publication circulating on social media, the purveyors of lies alleged that Governor Wike in the statewide broadcast asserted that states which forbid sale of alcoholic beverages within their jurisdiction could no longer continue to enjoy Value Added Tax, (VAT) receipts generated from Rivers State.
“While it is true that Governor Wike made a statewide broadcast on the aforementioned date, shortly after the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt dismissed Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) request for a stay of execution on the judgement of the court which declared Rivers State as constitutionally empowered to collect VAT and other related taxes in the State, he never said states that forbid sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages will no longer benefit from VAT generated in Rivers State”, the statement read.
It said that the state government considered the publication malicious and politically motivated intended to fan embers of hatred and cause public disaffection.
“We, hereby urge the public to disregard the said publication”, it said.
