By Kamsi Anayo, Awka
Commercial tricyclists in Awka on Wednesday protested high taxation by the Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led government in Anambra state.
The tricyclists blocked the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, at Aroma Junction, saying that the high tax by the state government is too much on them.
Some of the tricyclists who spoke said: “They are asking us to pay N15,000 to the Keke union, and a daily N500. Our daily ticket used to be N450, and we were even appealing to government to reduce it because it is high, but instead, they increased it to N500.
“Most of us that you see here are graduates who are managing their lives, because there is no job. Some are driving their tricycle on hire purchase basis, while most of us too have families.
“The country is hard, how can they be further forcing hardship on us, through these kind of policies. We will not pay, let Soludo come to our aide.”
Meanwhile, Anambra 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 said that the protest may not be against Soludo as the governor has further simplified the payment for the tricyclists.
“Instead of many illegal payments they make in a day, which has even amounted to over N1,000 daily, the governor has said they can only pay N600, and it won’t be an everyday payment, but monthly.
“Every other money is embeded in it, all they do is to come out everyday and do their work and go home, not paying toll everyday.”
Meanwhile, human rights activist, Mr Osita Obi has said that the payment that triggered the protest is being championed by Keke riders union, who are working to coarse their members to pay some money to them.
“I have mobilized keke riders to resist it. The government has said they are not asking for any N15,000 from Keke riders. It is one renowned cultist, known as Snoop, who is trying for force the Keke riders to pay to him.