Ethiope East LGA Asks POS Operators To Pay N5000, Group Reacts, Says It’s Illegal

The Ethiope-East Local Government Council in Delta State have sent a demand notice with an attempt to extort Five Thousand naira from POS operators in the locality.

The Ethiope-East Local Government Council released an account number with Zenith Bank wherein it directed all POS Operators to pay the said sum into.

The account name and number with Zenith Bank is; Ethiope-East Centre Sub-Revenue, 1216489980.

This is contained in a demand notice served on one of the POS Operators in Oviorie-Ovu Community.

The demand notice was signed by Hon. Tega Enakerakpo, Chairman of Ethiope-East Central Sub-Revenue Committee.

According to the demand notice, he said it is part of measures for the council to have “proper” and “approved POS operators in the Local Government Area. The local government has decided to notify you to pay your POS annual operational levy of five thousand naira(N5,000) only.

“Take note, that you are requested within 21 days to make payment to the account stated below as failure to abide by this demand notice will attract serious legal action against you.”

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The Delta State Coordinator of a pro-democracy and human right group, Take It Back, TIB, Comrade Aghogho Ighorhiowhunu said it is ready to meet the Ethiope-East Local Government Council in Court on behalf of the POS Operators.

This is contained in a message sent to our correspondent’s timeline on Facebook.

He explained that,”POS machine is an instrument of the bank as every POS machine is given out and hosted by a bank.

“Every POS operator is only but an agent of a bank and cannot be levied outside the hosted bank.

“Also, the Bank and other Financial Institution Act did not recognize the LG to monitor and levy the operations of banking institutions including the operations of POS machines in Nigeria.

“Collection of money under false pretense is a criminal offence in Nigeria punishable by law.”

He also enjoined the POS operators to go about their businesses without exercising any fears.