Commercial drivers protest in Onitsha over Soludo’s N25,000 new tax rate

Commercial drivers in Anambra State under the aegis of Main Market Electrical Drivers Welfare Association, MEDWAS, yesterday,  embarked on a peaceful demonstration over Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s proposed new tax of N25,000 per month.

The demonstration exercise was kick started by the drivers as soon as MEDWAS chairman, Mr. Michael Mbele broke the news to them and  confirmed that arrangements had been concluded to start enforcing the payment after a meeting with a team of state government officials from Awka.

According to Mbele, “I did not issue the directive in my capacity, I only passed  on the information handed down to me by a team of state government  officials after talks were held on the new proposed tax rate.

However, the drivers, who didn’t take the development kindly, took to the streets, demanding clarification from Governor Soludo, who had suspended the payment of any form of tax and levy until he recently announced the introduction of a digitalized payment system, which according to a spokesman  of the protesting drivers,  Mr. Magnus Dike mandated them to pay N4,000 monthly to a private firm set up by the state government to collect tax on its behalf.

While commending the governor for his efforts so far in restoring sanity on the roads another driver, Mr Chuks Nnadozie, appealed for a reduction in the new tax due to the bad roads in the state.