The coalition of Civil Society Groups on Saturday berated the Osun State government and Segilola Gold Limited over alleged N60b tax evasion and environmental degradation of communities in the state.
The Nation reports that the Osun State government vowed to go after the firm over the alleged evasion of N60b tax, and failure of the firm to comply with environmental rules.
However, Segilola denied the allegations, saying it has consistently demonstrated a commitment to being a law-abiding, transparent corporate entity, fulfilling tax obligations.
Meanwhile, the coalition under the aegis of The Osun Masterminds (TOM) through the Executive Director, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli berated the Osun State Government for prioritising revenue over the proper management of the environment around the mining sites.
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He said, “It is also sad that the State Government’s release, where it accused Segilola of several infractions, prioritized earnings over proper management of the environment. We are extremely bothered about the Environmental Degradation ongoing in ljeshaland and the Osun State Government must immediately do something about this.
“Also, it is unfortunate for a firm making money on the land of Osun State to evade taxes running to billions of Naira and not respecting environmental law. It is a matter of law which must be respected.”