The protesting commercial tricycle operators in Anambra
Commercial tricycle operators in Anambra protest extortion, harassment by cult task force officials
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Hundreds of tricycle operators under the umbrella body of the Awka North and South Keke Drivers Welfare Forum, Wednesday, took to the streets in the Anambra capital to protest alleged obnoxious levies and harassment by the government task force officials and killings of their members by cultists in the state.
The tricycle operators, also called keke, marched round the major business district of Awka including Awka-Onitsha and Awka-Enugu express way to demonstrate their grievances.
They displayed placards with various inscriptions such as: “Government cannot continue to play Ostrich to our plight”, ‘Say no to monthly dues quoted for security money;’ ‘We are Union not slaves to tax masters;’ ‘Say no to intimidation and physical abuse to Keke operators;’ ‘Say no to cultist leadership;’ among other inscriptions.
The leader of the group, Comrade Osita Obi who addressed the Journalists alleged that they pay various illegal dues, and were being harassed and intimidated by keke taskforce approved by government.
According to him, this is in addition to harassment by cultists who infiltrated the Keke operators business.
Obi listed alleged obnoxious levies to include: Membership registration of N45,000, membership ID card renewable yearly with N2,500, bucket N6,800, ATMC N4,600, painting of gate colour N5,500, re-registration of union N5,000, and end of year levy N4,500.
Other levies, according to him, are: yearly ID card renewal at N3,500, Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria(TOAN) inscription N2,500, Union logo in scripted as (CTORWAS) N1,500, monthly due quoted for security money N800 among others.
“We are working to restore sanity in Awka North and South area. A lot of people have been killed, many operators are extorted by cultists and if anything happens to operators, we will hold government responsible. Keke operators are no longer ready to pay obnoxious levies”, Obi said.
Reacting, the state government requested any member forced to pay levy in respect of end of year party /get-together to immediately report to office of Ministry of Transport.
A statement by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Dr Emma Ude Akpeh on behalf of the Hon Commissioner, said.
He noted that the attention of the Ministry had been drawn to increasing cases of alleged attempts by some persons claiming to be officials of Tricycle (Keke) Union in the state to compel commercial tricycle operators to pay certain levy for End of Year party/get-together.
According to the statement, members of recognized/registered transport unions 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.
