N800 transportation levy ill-advised, outrageous ― Omo Eko Pataki

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Prominent Lagos indigenes under the aegis of Ọmọ Eko Pataki has kicked against daily levy of N800 each on all transporters in the state under the newly Consolidated Informal Transport Sector Levy by the state government, describing it as cruel, ill-advised and patently outrageous.

Omo Eko Pataki raised this concern, on Thursday, in a statement titled: “Eight hundred naira Transportation levy: One Tax too many,” issued by its Trustee, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (rtd), a copy of which was made available to newsmen.

The group of indigenous Lagosians, while condemning the decision, said it was unconscionable for the state government to add more burden on the hapless citizens of Nigeria’s commercial centre at a time of general economic hardship when many citizens “can hardly afford three square meal a day,” urging that the new levy be scrapped.

According to General Olanrewaju, who is former Minister of Communications, transporters will naturally transfer this heavy toll to commuters which in turn will cause multiple spiral effects on the cost of foodstuffs and general goods, saying sadly that the ultimate effect of what he described as “this pure extortionist policy” would vitiate the economic well being of the rich and poor.

The former minister added that nobody would be immune, including those who he said were turning governance into an insentient money-making machine.

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“The newly imposed levy of 800 naira daily on all transporters by the Lagos state government is cruel, ill-advised and patently outrageous.

“In a time of general economic hardship when many Nigerians can hardly afford three square meals a day, it is unconscionable to impose more burden on the hapless citizens of Nigeria’s commercial centre.

“Transporters will naturally transfer this heavy toll to commuters which in turn will cause multiple spirals
effect on the cost of foodstuffs and general goods.

“The ultimate effect of this pure extortionist policy will vitiate the economic well being of the rich and poor. Nobody will be immune including those who are turning governance into an insentient money-making machine,” Olanrewaju stated.

Speaking further, the statement further described the new tax policy as unfair, unjust, unacceptable and needless, even as it noted that the first principle of governance was to protect and serve the interest of the electorate.

“We at Ọmọ Eko Pataki reject this reactionary, covetous, selfish and thoughtless levy. It is needless. It is unnecessary. It is wrong. It is a fatuous anti-people policy which is capable of triggering social unrest that none of us wants to happen,” the group said.

“We want peace and harmony in our dear state. With large unemployment among our youths, with dwindling economic purchasing power among the working population, adding this avaricious levy is tantamount to incitement of the populace. The position of Ọmọ Eko Pataki is unequivocal and clear. The 800 naira levy is one tax too many. It should be scrapped forthwith,” it added.

Omo Eko Pataki, therefore, charged the Lagos State government to focus on other sources of raising its income by going back to the seemly abandoned metroline and the long-proposed Fourth Mainland Bridge which it said was looking more like a pipe dream than a reality.

This was just as the group of indigenes said it took cognizance of the two units of ten coaches each recently acquired by the state government, expressing hope that the newly acquired train coaches would achieve the ultimate goal of easing the transportation burden of the people of Lagos.

“We hope and pray that all the necessary parameters in the acquisition of the ‘Two New Train Sets’ will serve the purpose of meeting the expectations of our people. The experience with the Enron Power generation plant did not meet the minimum standard of service before it disappeared.

“People-oriented project should be the purpose of governance rather than the narrow-minded exploitative policy like the obnoxious and condemnable 800 naira transportation levy.

“Our government should be humane and selfless. It should not be seen as purely driven by narrow economic advantages,” Omo Eko Pataki counselled.

Bola Badmus