Soludo targets N7.2b annually from tricycle operators in Anambra

 

Maduako Igbokwe l Monday, September 19, 2022

 

AWKA, Nigeria – Anambra State Governor Prof Charles Soludo want to generate N7.2 billion from tricycle operators in the state annually. Every tricycle operator in the state pays  N15,000 every month into government purse.

Investigation by our reporter showed that there are over 40,000 tricycle operators in the state.

While tasking the commercial tricyclists, Soludo disclosed that the state economy was not healthy to enable him carry out his  plans of turning the state into a smart city.

According to him, since February, NNPC has not remitted any money into the Federation Account and that the state is affected.

Soludo assured members of the Tricycle Operators Association of Nigeria (TOAN) in the state of adequate  protection and safety, noting that the days of intimidation, harassment, touting and multiple taxations by miscreants were over.

Our  findings  further revealed that an enforcement and monitoring team will soon begin work to ensure compliance with the government order on the payment of the stipulated revenues.

Already, about 15, 000 out of the estimated 40, 000 membership of the association drawn from across the 21 local government areas have been registered while others have indicated readiness to register in line with the directive of the state government.

The state government in collaboration with leadership and members of TOAN, had at the weekend, during an awareness and sensitization meeting held at the Dr. Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre Awka, the state capital, assured the tricycle operators of guaranteed security, improved welfare and construction and rehabilitation of all the bad portions of roads with the capital town and other areas.

Meanwhile, the members of the tricycle operators have expressed willingness to embrace the options provided by the state government but urged the Prof. Charles Soludo to give its tax policy a human face in view of their strong support base for the governor when he was campaigning for election and the prevailing harsh economic realities in the country.

According to them, the burden of payment of the stipulated revenue would be heavy on them due to other personal challenges such as payment of house rents, children’s school fees, maintenance of their tricycles, increased per litre of petrol, keeping to term of agreement with owners of some of the tricycles who are on hired purchase arrangements and others.

They said that they are hoping for further negotiations with a view to scaling down the revenue in order to better their lots.

Special Adviser (SA) to Governor Soludo on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), Mr. Isaac Okoro said the governor has embarked on key reforms to change the past narratives of multiple taxations as it affects payment of revenues, insisting that the present government would not tolerate any form of distractions and civil disobedience.

He said that, “The only way they can support the government is to reason together in resolving some of the issues. Government will not tolerate distractions and touts.   Government has resolved that every tricycle operator would be paying N600 on daily basis devoid of any harassment at the parks or stations.”

“We are trying to come up with a system that will ensure workable payment plans and at making life and living meaningful. The operators should reciprocate the gesture of the state government in issuing operational documents to the leadership of tricycle operators in order to ensure law and order. Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well; don’t fall victim of violation of established law and order,” he stated.

Vice chairman of TOAN, Hon. Mark Onykwere who spoke on behalf of the state chairman, said the essence of the meeting was to enable members know their fate on government policies and programmes.

He stated that the association supported Governor Soludo  during his election campaign so he could lessen their burden by removing all the illegal revenue collection, touts, multiple taxations and problem of harassment.

He urged the riders to always stick to their routes and take necessary steps to register with the state government for proper identification.

Also, chairman of Awka zone of the association, Prince Chinedu Ozojiofor promised that he would ensure that the welfare of the riders are protected as the union is working in unionism with the state government for effective and smooth operations.

He frowned at the activities of some miscreants who disguise to steal from tricyclists and disappear into the thin air.

According to him, the ongoing membership registration would address some of the obvious challenge facing the union and that the law would definitely catch up with troublemakers in their nefarious activities. He also called on the members to be of good conduct and report suspicious characters to the appropriate security agencies for necessary action.

Recall that Governor Soludo had few months into his administration held meeting with stakeholders in the transport sector across the state where he unfolded plans for tax payment by all transporters to boost revenue and to embark on massive infrastructural and  development programmes in the face of paucity of funds from the monthly federal allocation to states.

 

Reacting to tricycle operators levy, Mr. Uche Micheal queried why the government would task the poorest of the poor as much as N15,000 every months, noting that instead of government ameliorating the suffering of the poor, it is increasing their pains.

” It is sad that Soludo instead of  empowering these people by giving them soft loans to buy tricycle, he is tasking them with heavy Levy. If the state is broke, is it the poor that will provide the needed resource to fix the economy” he asked.

According to him, most of tricycle operators are on hire purchase and wondered how they could meet their family needs with these heavy payment.

He said that government should be able to encourage them because they are working hard to make a living and to reduce the insecurity in the state.

A tricycle operator, Obiora Chikelue said  that if the government succeeds in forcing them to pay the money many of them  may leave the state .

According to him, some of them are on hire purchase and  have families they  must take care off. He said that , government cannot be calculating how much they make without considering their  challenges. Cyril Orjiako, a tricycle operator said that he is not against paying tax but it must have human face.

According to him, there are alot of companies and big men in the state that should be taxed, wondering why the government wants the poor to raise money to run the government.