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From Ben Dunno, Warri
Contrary to speculations by members of Commercial Mini Buses Drivers operating within Warri South Local Government area of Delta state, that a levy ranging from between 15,000 and N25,000 had been imposed on them through Complete Emblem Sticker by designated revenue agent, the contracting firm to 25 Council areas on Companies and Commercial Vehicles, said it was N8,000 per annum they were levied.
Raising concerns while addressing newsmen in Warri over alleged multiple taxation through stickers and emblems being forced on them, the Commercial Mini buses drivers under the auspices of God’s Own Commercial Vehicle Drivers Association, said they can no longer cope with the huge burden of these taxation on their business.
Consequently, the body appealed to Delta state Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, to emulate the gesture extended to them by the previous administration of Chief James Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, by exempting them from these levies, in order to be able to take home reasonable amount that would be enough to feed their families at the end of the day.
Speaking on behalf of the body, Comrade Raphael Ota, who described the development as “oppression and injustice against the drivers”, noted that was an urgent need to address this situation in the interest of its members who were forced to take to driving of commercial buses due to the high rate of unemployment in the country.
He disclosed that the agenda to rip-off their members through emblems started since 2020 when the local government who had conceded its revenue drive to a local contractor approved the levy of between N15,000 and N25,000 to be paid as complete emblem stickers.
According to him, the complete emblem stickers was supposed to be for the Trucks and inter-states travellers and not for the town service providers.
“Some of us have been in the business of driving in the past 10 years and we do not buy complete stickers.
“Once your bus is painted in Delta colour, the only emblem we are required to have are the Union and Basket.
“The complete emblem stickers are required for inter-states travellers and Trucks and not town service vehicles.
But in swift reaction, the management of Hascef-Gee Nigeria Ltd., the Contracting firm engaged by the 25 Local Government Area of Delta state, to handle revenues that covers both Companies and Commercial vehicles operating within the state, has clarified that the complete emblems levy to mini commercial buses in the state was N8,000 and not N15,000 or N25,000, as claimed by the Association members.
He also explained that there was no where it was stated in the contractual agreement he signed with the 25 Local Government Area that the mini commercial buses must be exempted from the levy and demanded that if there was such, it should be presented to the him or the pubic so it can be effected.
Making this clarifications, the Chief Consultant, Hascef-Gee Nigeria Ltd and Contractor handling Companies and Commercial Vehicles across the 25 Local Government Area of Delta state, Mr. Kenneth George, noted that he had given so much concession to the members of the commercial mini buses in the time past and often obliged their appeals for enforcement extension to their members.
According to him, “I’m particularly surprised they were saying the levy imposed on them was between 15,000 and 25,000 when or was actually N8,000 annually and it that can even be paid install mentally with covering note not to be harassed while operating till payment is fully made.”
“There is possibility that the various Association executives could have inflated the sticker levy when selling it to their members and that’s why I’ve also approved that individual members can come to my office to collect their stickers by themselves so that the issue of third party can be eliminated”.
“Personally I no longer give some of the stickers to the so called association excos to sell to their members anymore because most of them are even divided among themselves and this division is beginning to make dealings with a particular association very difficult”, he said.
“To avoid all these issues of artificial hike on stickers imposed by Association Excos,
I have said before that anybody that want to obtain the sticker should come to my office directly and obtain it for the original amount which is N8,000 per year but when your vehicle is seized without the sticker after the set time for the sale of the sticker has elapsed, you will be made to pay N15,000 for the sticker in order to claim your vehicle”, he stated.
The Chief Consultant, Hascef-Gee Nigeria Ltd and Contractor handling Companies and Commercial Vehicles across the 25 Local Government Area of Delta state, Mr. Kenneth George
