March 7, 2025
Borkena
Toronto – 62 businessmen are reportedly banned from leaving the country over what appears to be unsettled business tax payments.
Addis Ababa Revenues Bureau on Thursday said the businessmen owe the government over 3.2 billion birr in unpaid taxes. The city is claiming that “the businessmen have been unwilling to make the payment” despite repeated calls to do so.
The names of the businessmen are undisclosed. However, the office has said that their names were transferred to Citizenship and Immigration so that they will not get exit visas.
The businessmen have not yet come forward to tell their side of the story. During the Coronavirus pandemic and the two-year war between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and Abiy Ahmed’s Federal government, the business community was squeezed for resources. But back then, it appeared voluntary, and the business community was painted as cooperative.
Addis Ababa city is citing legislation 983/2008, Section 44, and subsections 1-3 to assert that it has the right to impose travel restrictions by passing their names to the Immigration and Citizenship Department.
The city argues that “there is an awareness problem” about the importance of paying taxes.
The office is also claiming that it has collected over 6.4 billion birr in unpaid taxes over the past six months.
Meanwhile, there have been citizens’ reports on social media regarding growing discontent over tax hikes. This is the case even outside of the capital, Addis Ababa. Many argue that businesses—including those in the hospitality industry—have been severely impacted by the coronavirus, the security situation in the country, and the skyrocketing cost of living.
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