Lagos govt, transport unions reach agreement on levies to eradicate harassment of commercial bus drivers
Ayodele Olalere
As a way of eradicating incessant harassment of commercial bus drivers, Lagos State government and state leadership of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), on Tuesday, signed and officially unveiled the Consolidated Informal Transport Sector Levy.
The unveiling held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, was done by the Commissioner for Finance, Rabiu Olowo, along with the Managing Directors of Lagos Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
At the event was also the state Chairman, NURTW, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as M.C. Oluomo, representative of RTEAN,Mr Albert Omotayo,, and Chairman of Conference 57, Kolade Alabi.
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According to Olowo, the consolidated levy ticket would harmonise daily collection of levies of all government agencies from the transport unions.
Unlike in the past where commercial bus drivers are forced to pay different government levies at every motor parks they load and discharge passengers, the new agreement would see drivers now pay a consolidated daily levy of N800 at the point of loading passengers in any motor park in the state without repeating such payment at the point of discharging their passengers on presentation of their ticket, thereby allowing them to operate without hindrances.
The new process would also help to reduce multiple taxes, dues and levies to all agents of state and local governments, provide reliable data, eradicate harassments of bus drivers, and bring collaborative engagements with stakeholders among others.
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Olowo added that the daily levy of N800 per motorist would be shared among all related government agencies and local governments while tax cards would also be issued to the motorists. He further said the approach was a 100% alignment with stakeholders, a form of revenue assurance and total restructuring of the transport system in the state.
While responding , the Chairman, NURTW, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (M.C. Oluomo) thanked the government for the new arrangement towards unifying the transport sector and geared towards development of Lagos.
He added it would also help to reduce the amount commercial bus drivers pay at every motor park which ranges between N3,000 and N9,000 daily.
He, however, said the new arrangement does not affect the union levy collected by the transport unions at every bus stop.
According to the Commissioner, the implementation of the structure commences in February.
