Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
Abia State governor, Mr. Alex Otti, Wednesday commenced the process of sanitising the methods of revenue collection in the state in line with the campaign promise.
To this end, the new governor has issued a directive suspending further collection of all manner of transport levies imposed on tricycles(Keke), buses, taxis and other commercial vehicles.
In a statement signed by the governor’s special adviser(media and publicity), Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, explained that Otti took the action in order to “stop all kinds of extortion, intimidation, and harassment of motorists” which has characterised transport levy collection.
“This suspension takes immediate effect, and will remain until government reviews these levies and makes public its arrangements for the smooth, organized and transparent collection of such transport levies,” Ekeoma said.
According to him, after reviewing the whole revenue collection process, government would come up with a new system of collecting the revenue “in a manner it would not lead to extortion, intimidation and violation of rights and privileges of Abia residents”.
“The government believes that the present method is archaic and very harmful to the lives of the people and the economic well-being of the state, and thus should not be allowed to continue,” the media adviser said.
Following the suspension of the levies, the Abia governor has asked “all those involved, directly and indirectly (the revenue collection) to please discontinue forthwith”.
Ekeoma warned that any person that failed to comply with the directive would be made to face the wrath of the law, adding that security agents have been briefed and directed to enforce the directive.
