Tiko Mayor denies levying MoMo operators 150,000 tax, operators brand him ‘liar’.

The Mayor of Tiko Council, Chief Peter Ikome Mesoso III, has denied claims by Mobile Mobile operators that the Council has taxed them an additional 150,000 francs.

In a recent media outing, Chief Mesoso said taxes have not been increased, stating that the 150,000 peddled as an increased amount is for those who have accumulated taxes.

But contrary to the Mayor’s outing, Mobile Money operators in Tiko told MMI they were levied additional taxes, even when they had no accumulated taxes.

“That Mayor is a liar. Presently, there are newcomers in the business who have paid the 150,000 francs tax increase,” a disgruntled MoMo operator told MMI, presenting his tax payment receipts.

“There is nothing like accumulated taxes. These are lies told to the public by the Mayor,” he said adding that “We have receipts of payments that I will present to you.”

He added that the Tiko Council has devised a strategy not to issue receipts of complete payment as a way to cover up their practices.

“No year passes by without us paying the council. Here are the receipts,” he said.

“What the Council has been doing for the past years is that even if you pay the full amount, they will only give you the receipt in part” complained another operator.

“We didn’t foresee such a scheme will work against us in the future,” they lamented

Some weeks back, MMI reported, based on testimonies from MoMo operators, that the Tiko Council had raised Mobile Money taxes from 50,000 francs to 150,000, prompting an outcry from operators.

Those who failed to meet up with the tax increase had their kiosks dismantled and carted away by Council workers.

By David Atangana