STANDOFF BETWEEN GOVERNOR SOLUDO AND COMMERCIAL DRIVERS: THE WAY FORWARD

Few days ago, the Anambra capital city of Awka and a number of other cities within the state had their business activities grounded. The normal free flow of people, goods and services was abruptly suspended because commercial bus and Keke drivers were protesting against the new tax policy imposed on them by the Anambra State Government. The protest disrupted free movement of people coming from other states into Anambra State. Residents of Awka had to stressfully trek for hours to get to their destinations. To evade the long traffic caused by the protesting drivers, vehicles coming into Anambra State from Enugu State were made to look for alternative routes to bypass the Awka/Enugu road. The suffering caused on residents and travellers by the protest was enormous.

According to preliminary investigations by Angels Network News, the Anambra State Government had sometime in July, 2022 instituted a new tax regime that required shuttle bus and keke drivers to pay N20,000 and N15,000 respectively, at the beginning of every monthly. The drivers had long complained that meeting up with the new tax policy would be difficult for them considering the hyperinflation in the country.

Trouble started last week when the Government of Anambra State deployed recruits from a new tax force it constituted to enforce the new tax regime who went about arresting drivers and impounding their vehicles. The drivers who consider the enforcement tyrannical decided to suspend their services and embark on protest in the state capital to register their displeasure.

Position of the Government

Recall that when the administration of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo was inaugurated on 17th March 2022, the Governor in his inaugural speech lamented that he met an empty treasury asonly N300m was left in the treasury by his predecessor, Chief Willie Maduabuchukwu Obiano.

It is obvious that the administration of Governor Soludo in his bid to carry out his campaign promises of making Anambra state the Dubai of Africa sees the need to raise the internally generated revenue of the state. This is so because no government can make any headway without looking for ways to source for funds for its developmental policies.

In the same vein, no state can thrive in her aspirations to develop when it solely depends onmonthly allocations from the Federal Government. There is the need to look inwards for internally generated revenue, and this often comes through taxation. As for the Soludo led government to function and brings dividends of development in terms of infrastructures, road construction etc. the people of that Anambra need to pay their taxes.

Therefore, it is understandable that Governor Soludo in his quest to bring to fruition hisdevelopmental plans in the state is currently looking for ways to source for finances. Recently, the Governor borrowed N100bn from the CBN explaining that the money would be deployed to improve the bad state of the roads across the state.

Position of the Drivers

The drivers on the other hand are neither opposed to taxation nor on the amount they are asked to pay. Their misunderstanding with the Soludo led administration was on mode of payment. A cross-section of the drivers who spoke to our correspondent in Awka captured the position of the drivers.

“We will pay tax, because it is good to pay tax, but to pay N15, 000 at the beginning of the month is way too high and wickedness. The normal daily payment we are used to is best for us, the pay as you drive tax method we have enable us to pay for the daily tax because oftentimes, our shuttles would break down and we would spend days at the mechanic workshop repairing it. Throughout the period of the repairs, the driver is not making any money but the new tax policy still requires him to pay for that period. This is not fair. They should remember that things are difficult and we have families and dependents to take care of.”

The Way Forward​

Thankfully, Soludo’s Government unlike many governments we have in Nigeria today who see themselves as emperors, has chosen to toe the noble path of dialogue with the protesting drivers. The Governor’s sense of maturity, leniency and the listening ear he gave to the protesters has to be commended. His decision to send his deputy and his SSA on security to meet with the protesters and the eventual agreement to withdraw the taskforce and initiate a dialogue to settle the matter amicably are good signs that Governor Soludo has the interest of Ndi Anambra at heart.

As negotiations continue, there is need for more understanding and concessions from both parties. The drivers must understand that the government needs the money from the tax to come in bulk to avoid leakages and for adequate budgetary planning. The sticking point of whether the payment should be daily or at the end of the month should be well considered and ironed out. The disruptive role of the “Agberos” in the taxation process should be properly addressedbecause it will be unjust to force the poor drivers to pay multiple taxes.

The fact that many of the drivers are driving on hire-purchase arrangements and must meet up with the terms of the owners of the vehicles should also be taken into account. In addition, thesedrivers have families to fend for, house rants and school fees to pay. The hyperinflation currently affecting the cost of commodities in the country and the excessive hardship this has caused across board but especially for the poor who depend on daily earnings to survive should alsobe considered.

Overall, the Government of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo needs to fulfill its campaign promise to make Anambra the Dubai of Africa. However, why it strives to do that, it needs to understand that development is meant for the people and not the people for development. It is only the living that will make use of the roads the government is trying to renovate and construct. You don’t kill your people because you want to construct roads. The living, not the dead drive onthose roads.