From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has suspended taxes and rates paid by heavy duty trucks for loading and unloading of goods in the state.
He said that there was a fundamental problem with the way and manner which truck drivers were being taxed in the state; and therefore ordered that no money should be collected from them till the issues were rectified.
The governor also announced the reduction of taxes paid by commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators popularly known as Keke NAPEP and Okada respectively; and as well, slashed same for shuttle bus drivers.
Soludo announced the new development on Wednesday at Prof. Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre, Awka, the state capital during a meeting with the transporters.
“We’ll reduce the tax for Keke NAPEP from N15,000 to N10,000. Then, it can be broken into four. This means you can pay N2,500 per week. Taxi was N17,500 or something like that. We’ll get it down to N12,000 per month which is N3,000 per week.
“Shuttle buses will also come down to N3,000 per week. Okada riders will now pay N4,000 per month; that is, N1,000 per week. Mini trucks used to pay N20,000 per month. You’ll now pay N15,000 per month which is N3,750 per week”, Soludo announced.
Soludo, who lamented that many people don’t pay their taxes, reminded Ndi Anambra and the residents alike that government needs money to build roads and render good services to the people.
“We want a tax system that will be progressive; poor people will pay small while rich people will pay more. We will simplify it and put an end to this multiple taxation.
“We will also deploy technology to put an end to the activities of thugs. That is the tax system we want. We want the tax system that will have these three characteristics”, he said.
