Truck drivers protest inhuman levies by Anambra, shut expressways

Business activities were brought to a halt in parts of the commercial town of Onitsha, Anambra State, as heavy duty truck drivers blocked the ever busy Onitsha-Asaba, Owerri and Awka express roads and adjoining routes to  other towns in Anambra state.

The Network reports that the  protest was against the unbearable taxes imposed on owners of the trucks and other illegal levies by the APGA-led government of Governor Charles Sokido.

 The aggrieved drivers blocked the Enugu-Onitsha, Onitsha-Owerri expressway, Onitsha -Niger Bridge Head-Asaba major routes and all the roads that lead into and out of Anambra State.

They complained against the tax imposition on trailers, lorries, truck and other vehicles bringing goods into the state.

Soludo had shortly on resumption of office announced the payment of N30,000 for trailers loading and offloading goods in Anambra State.

Other trucks are to pay between N25,000 and N20,000 respectively, for ten and six tyre- lories and trucks.

Some of the protesting drivers alleged that they were forced to pay N15,000 depending on the truck, while other  buses pay N5,000 and N3,000, respectively for loading and offloading of goods.

The illegal levies, which had  attracted the anger of many critics in the state, was also extended to  industrialists, businessmen, importers and warehouse operators located in different locations around Onitsha.

Residentail buildings in Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi urban areas are not spared.  Commercial buses and tricycle operators   had protested against the levies.

They protesters urged the state government to cancel such levies and withdraw the taskforce officials deployed to collect taxes, alleging that they constitute threats to lives and security, as well as exposing them to kidnappers.

Residents of Onitsha, especially traders during the protest were made to trek long distance before they could get to the various markets and destination, following the gridlock along the routes.

A driver Odion Omoroge, who drove all night from Abuja to Benin, with bags of garri and some tubers of yam into Onitsha, expressed shock at the levy.

Omoroge said, “The problem with this government is that it believe that money collected from the people as levy and tax and other revenues are the only money that it will use to work for the people.

“It is not talking about money from the government; and one begins to wonder if Anambra State is not getting any allocation from Federal government.”