By Joseph ETTA
Transporters and motorist operators in Calabar are bleeding under heavy levies and taxes. They decried the extortion by Local Government officials and other government agencies.
When Daybreak with the cross section of the operators, they said “the money we pay for ticket is too high, every day we pay N550.00 to these officials scattered around the town.”
According to their spoke person, Samuel Emmanuel opined that, “that would not have been a problem but for the extortion of money from other agencies such as FRSC, VIO, State traffic, DOPT and the Police” Every day this people are on the way extorting money from us “this really affects our take home income.” It’s as if we are working for them”
He disclosed that for motorist to operate on the street of Calabar, private cars register with N36,000 and still buys ticket of N550 daily, while painted taxis register with N14,000 and as well buy a ticket of N400 daily.
Woes betide you if you don’t renew your registration at the beginning of each year, as renewal of vehicles both private and painted taxis are done on a yearly basis.
He noted that the governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade created so many avenues called “Revenue Points” to extort money from the public, this so called “Revenue Points” are ways of compensating political thugs.
Emmanuel who is also an official of NURTW, Etim Edem branch in Calabar South added that most of the frontlines politicians leading Legislators of PDP extract in the State House of Assembly, one of the House of Representative Member representing Calabar South in the lower chambers and other PDP Big wigs have revenue points in motor parks and major round junction and Jetty beaches scattered around Calabar and Its environs.
When asked by Daybreak, if the revenue accruing from these revenue points actually gets to government coffers. He said “emphatically No.”
The revenue goes to their private pockets.
It is used as “Settlement” to party stalwarts and committed members they used during election, to rigged election for them. That is their reward. He added.
