Drivers Union Condemns Protest, Supports Harmonised Tax

Following a recent protest by commercial bus drivers in Port Harcourt over an alleged police extortion and harassment by the Task Force on Street Trading, Illegal Markets and Motor Parks, the Chairman, Rivers Drivers Co-operative Union, Sunday Ibinoye, has condemned the action of the protesters and distanced the union from the protest.
Ibinoye, who made the condemnation while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, said that those who masterminded the protest by commercial drivers were those kicking against the laudable harmonisation of taxes by the state government.
The Tide reports that commuters were left stranded and forced to trek long distances, as commercial bus drivers plying Lagos – Mile 3, Rumuokoro – Mile 3 – Flyover, Mile 3 – Choba – Ada-George and Iwofe – Mile 3 routes withdrew their services on the roads, last Thursday.
Ibinoye, posited that the Rivers State government had shown sincerity to sanitise and abrogate the illegal multiple taxation regime, alleging that those benefiting from the illegal multiple taxation were behind the protest.
According to him, “we welcome the end of multiple taxation initiative and we are keying into the harmonised tax reform system as announced by the Rivers State Inland Revenue Service (RIRS).”
He advised members of the union to distance themselves from protest or any form of demonstration that would undermine the efforts of the state government toward the effective implementation of the policy.
However, the chairman of Drivers Welfare Association in the State, Lekia Isaac, in his reaction, explained that the protest was as a result of police extortion and harassment by the taskforce on illegal motor parks and had, nothing to do with the new tax regime.
He said that the association had already sensitised their members on the need to support the tax harmonisation policy of the state government.
“The protest on Thursday after the meeting, was that some drivers went on to register their anger over police extortion and harassment on the road. Besides, we have already agreed to support the government policy on tax harmonisation.”
It would be recalled that the chairman of the Rivers State Board of Internal Revenue, Adoage Norteh, had said that commercial drivers would, with effect from last Monday, pay taxes direct to the Rivers State account and not to their respective unions.