David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
Commercial tricyclists in Awka, Anambra State, yesterday protested against high taxation by the state Governor, Prof Charles Soludo-led government in the state.
The tricyclists blocked the Enugu-Onitsha expressway at Aroma Junction, saying the high tax by the state government is too harsh on them.
Some of the tricyclists who spoke said: “They are asking us to pay N15, 000 to the Keke union, and a daily amount of N500. Our daily ticket used to be N450, and we were even appealing to the government to reduce it because it was high, instead, they increased it to N500.
“Most of us you see here are graduates who are managing their lives because there is no job. Others are driving their tricycle on hire purchase basis, while most of us are family men.
“The country is hard, how can they be forcing hardship on us through these kind of policies? We will not pay, let Soludo come to our aide.”
Meanwhile, the state government has denied involvement in the plan to subject tricycle riders to higher tax.
The spokesperson of Anambra State Internally Generated Revenue Board, Mrs. Toochukwu Ngige, told THISDAY that the protest may not be against Governor Soludo as the governor has further simplified the payment of the tricyclists.
“Instead of many illegal payment they make in a day, which has even amount to over N1,000 daily, the governor has said they can only pay N600, and it won’t be an everyday payment, but they pay monthly.
“Every other money is embedded in it, all they do is to come out everyday and do their work and go home, not paying toll everyday,” she said.
Also, a human rights activist, Mr. Osita Obi, has said the payment that triggered the protest is being championed by Keke riders’ union, who are working to compel their members to pay some money to them.
According to him, “I have mobilised tricycle riders to resist it. The state government has said it is not asking for N15,000 from the riders. It is one renowned cultist known as Snoop that is trying to force the Keke riders to pay to him.”
