Sigh Of Relief For Transporters In Akwa Ibom, As Governor Udom Suspends Tax, Levies For Five Days

By Akinwale Kasali

There are smiles on the faces of Transporters in Akwa Ibom State as the Governor, Emmanuel Udom, has ordered that Transporters should not pay any form of Tax or Levies for the next five days.

The suspension of levies and taxes is coming less than five days to the Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections in the State.

The Akwa Ibom State Government announced the suspension of all levies and daily tickets to Buses,  tricycles and mini-buses operators in the Uyo metropolis in a statement by the State Commissioner for Transport, Uno Etim Uno, on Monday.

Uno said the gesture was to cushion the ongoing cash crunch and other challenges suffered by transporters as a result of the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The statement reads in part, “Due to the harsh realities occasioned by the cash crunch in the country, the Akwa Ibom State Government hereby graciously announces a five-day suspension of daily ticketing for operators of commercial tricycles and minibuses.

“The suspension takes immediate effect from Monday, March 13 till Friday, March 17, 2023.

“This development will help the operators breathe a sigh of relief as they struggle to earn a living amidst these biting hard times.

”The general public, particularly, operators of commercial tricycles and minibuses and the Compliance and Monitoring team are hereby notified of this development.”

The Commissioner, however, urged the benefitting transporters to use the five days tax holiday to take an active part in the governorship and state Assembly poll reschedule for March 18, 2023, in the state

“In continued support for the State Government, transporters are urged to use the five days of grace to prepare to take an active part in the governorship and state assembly elections slated for Saturday, March 18, 2023.

“It is hoped that in response to the kind gesture of the state government, transporters will remain law-abiding and shun all forms of violence throughout the period of the elections,” he said.