Enugu Taxi Drivers Protest Double Taxation

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Wednesday, June 8th, 2016

IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu Nigeria
Operators of commercial taxi in Enugu, under the auspices of “Enugu State Private Cab/Taxi Operators” have cried out over multiple taxation on them by the state government, saying it has become unbearable for their members.

The operators who staged a peaceful protest in their numbers on Tuesday in Enugu, had displayed placards with different inscriptions conveying their grievances.

They matched to the Lion Building, Government House Enugu, to register their discontent on the development.

Some of the placards read: “we say no to double taxation; we need our plate numbers; we are dying, etc,”

The protestants, had confronted Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who received them with several complaints.

Narrating their ordeal on behalf of the members, leader of the group, Mr. Charles Uchenna Iwunna, lamented that apart from double taxation, they are not allowed to park their vehicles along the road where they could attract passengers, but instead they are to move into the motor parks in the metropolis.

Iwuanna also disclosed that they are being forced to pay annual tax of N1,000.00 even when they registered their vehicles with N6,000.00 with the state government.

He said the state government agents equally forced them to buy ticket for N400.00 on daily basis.

The most annoying thing according to Iwunna,is that the Commissioner for Transport, Vitus Okechi, is trying to force the leadership of the union on them when they have their choice leaders already.

He complaint that whenever they park their vehicles along the road, Commissioner Okechi, and official of his ministry will pounced on them, remove their number plates which they pay N12,000.00 before collecting it back from the ministry.

Responding to the catalogue of grievances, Governor Ugwuanyi, promised to end the crisis.

The governor said that he would call a meeting whereby the leadership of the drivers, the Commissioner of Transport and officials of the ministry, officials of Board of Internal Revenue, ministry of Finance as well as the Commissioner of Local Government with a view to finding amicable solution to the problem.

Ugwuanyi added that the drivers were part of the people that voted him into power and would not do anything that would make life unbearable for them.

He likened the lamenting drivers to a person suffering from Kwashiorkor that would not be forced to donate blood.

Ugwuanyi had asked them who was subjecting them to double taxation.

His question: “Who are those doing double taxation in this state? These are people that voted for me, somebody who is suffering from kwashiorkor, how can you take blood from him,” he queried.

He, however, assure them that from now hence, none of them should pay any money to anybody until the matter is thrashed out, but advised them to stop parking along the roads henceforth, so as to make way for easy traffic and for security of the state.

The governor who was accompanied by the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi; Chief of Staff, Government House, Victor Atuonwu as well as the Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Okechi, warned the drivers to comport themselves while doing their job.

He equally enjoined them to have a credible leadership and should not be disrespectful to his government.