The Issue of Multiple taxation and levies have been a major concern to
some residents of Anambra State over the years.
Frrom Tricycle Operators to Shuttle bus drivers, shop owners, Companies among others , the story seem same as they keep calling on government to come to their aid by putting an end to illegal revenue agents parading across the state.
The Governor Soludo led administration as a listening government took steps
towards saving the people by introducing many measures aimed at
ensuring that revenues are paid directly to government coffers .
The Governor also established an Anti Touting Squad code named SASA with the aim of identifying and apprehending culprits of multiple taxation in the state.
However recently , the Anambra Tricycle Riders Association (ANTRA) an umbrella body for keke riders , wrote a petition to the state House of Assembly highlighting the difficulties and dangers they face in the hands of illegal agents who most times parade as representative of the government.
They requested that Anambra Tricycle Riders Association (ANTRA) be
allowed to be independent and pay levies only approved by Governor
Chukwuma Soludo.
The House through its Committee on Public Petition looked at the prayers
of the Petitioners and took a resolution that was described as responsive
rescue by the Anambra Tricycle Riders Association (ANTRA) in the state.
The resolution which followed the recommendations of the Public
Petition Committee explained that the government is against any form of
touting in the state , and whoever that is collecting any fee from the Petitioners with the name of the state government is null and void and
should be resisted.
According to the recommendations, there are so many scavengers all
over in Onitsha and across the state that the Anti Touting Squad should
with immediate effect look into the activities of the Petitioners and get
rid of all the scavengers in the Keke riders operation across the state
including one ” Governor Obosi” in Onitsha.
The Resolution of the House also said that the Commissioner for
Transport should give a written authority to Anambra State Tricycle
Riders Association to manage its own affairs especially with regards to
collection of fees, rates , dues and that the Petitioner remits the agreed
sum to the government as directed by the governor.
The Chairman of Anambra Tricycle Riders Association (ANTRA) Comrade
Chidozie Okafor while reacting to the resolution the House thanked the law makers for standing firm and considering the plight of the masses in their business of law making .
Comrade Okafor pledged their total support to the Soludo administration
while encouraging members to always be prompt in payment of the
approved fees to government coffers which he said was being utilized in
road construction and other numerous projects that impacts on the people.
