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Tricycle operators in Anambra State, Wednesday took to the street to protest alleged extortion, harassment and what they called incessant killing of their members in the state, demanding that they be allowed to carry out their legitimate business.
But the state government reacted swiftly to the protest, warning that those who were forcing tricycle operators to pay any illegal levy would be dealt with.
The protesters, who carried placards with varying inscriptions, alleged that they were at the mercy of suspected cultists allegedly engaged by the government, who were incessantly harassing them.They said the harassment sometimes lead to loss of lives of their members.
Coordinator of Keke Drivers’ Welfare Forum in Awka North and Awka South local government areas, Comrade Osita Obi listed the alleged extortion to include end of year party fee of N4,500, Identity Card renewal of N3,500, State Management Code of between N4,000 and N8,000, among other levies.
According to him, the police and the Directorate of State Services, DSS, were fully aware of the sponsors of the suspected cultists, but could not address the ugly trend due to what he termed the huge financial returns being remitted to certain top government functionaries.
He said: “A lot of people have been killed in this state, including the one killed on Tuesday at the UNIZIK junction. We don’t want it again. The keke drivers are tired of leadership imposition and want to be allowed to operate independently.
“That many of them can’t afford living in good houses, sending their children to better schools and wearing good clothes does not mean they are not making money. What happens is that they are remitting the money to cultists and will be maimed and killed if they refuse to comply..
“The Keke drivers are willing to pay legitimate government revenues, but obnoxious revenues will no longer be tolerated”.
Obi said he had met the Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Afam Mbanefo several times on the issue, regretting that although he feigned ignorance, he was sure the Commissioner is aware of what is going on.
He added: “I am not doing this to run any government official down, but to restore sanity in the system. There should be enough of this exploitation and harassment”.
.Reacting on the protest, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Dr. Emma Ude Akpeh regretted the attempt by some persons claiming to be officials of Tricycle (keke) Union in the state to compel tricycle riders to pay a certain levy for end of year party/get-together.
Ude Akpeh said: “The Ministry of Transport wishes to state that while members of recognized/registered transport unions in the state have the right to meet and agree on the conduct of such social activities/events, members who elect not to participate in such must never be compelled to participate or pay any levy to that effect by anyone, whether union official or not.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ministry of Transport shall deal decisively with any tricycle union official, representative(s) or agent(s) found to be compelling tricycle riders who chose not to participate in the ”end of year party” by impounding their tricycles or manhandling the riders.
“The Ministry therefore requests any rider being compelled to pay any levy for end of year party/get-together to immediately report to the Ministry’s Traffic Command and Control Centre (TCCC) for immediate response and arrest of the culprits”.
