Headlines
Lagos government imposes N800 harmonised daily levy on transporters
—-moves to scrap collection of multiple levels by transport Unions
Eyewitness reporter
In a move to stop daily harassment and extortions of Lagos transporters by transport unions in the state, the Lagos State government has introduced a harmonised daily levy of N800 on all the transporters in the state.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo, who revealed this at the agreement-signing ceremony by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), local councils and transport unions, said that the consolidated levy collection will start February 1st, 2022.
He stated that the harmonised levy became expedient to ensure that the transport sector in the state is organised and fits into a 21-century economy.
Olowo added that the consolidated levy takes into consideration all the elements in a sane society.
According to him, the levy takes care of dues previously accrued to local councils across the state, as well as revenue for Lagos Waste Management Authority (LASWA) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Lagos State Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) among other MDAs.
He said that the state government expects that once a transporter pays the N800 at a point, he or she is expected not to pay at any other park or bus stop throughout the day.
He also said that the government expects that union members will not collect levies from transporters as they are not expected to pay at every bus stop or park.
Olowo said the consolidated levy would reduce the multiplicity of levies collection as many residents and transporters have complained about the huge levies unions often collected.
The commissioner also made an allusion to a report about the N150bn that transport unions collect in Lagos under the disguise of collecting dues, saying the new development will eliminate multiple taxes.
However, stakeholders believed that the move by the Lagos state government will add additional burden to transporters and commuters in the state as the transport unions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) are not likely to stop the collection of their daily multiple dues which are unjustifiably imposed on the hapless transporters.
Analysts also faulted the lukewarm approach of the state government towards total eradication of the multiple levies of the transport unions which they believe are part of the causes of the increase in transport fares in the state as these levies are passed on to the commuters.
“Hearing the Finance commissioner speak, it is obvious that the state government is interested in the collection of its own dues from the transporters while glossing over the multiple dues being collected by the transport unions which he merely advised not to collect any further due after the daily payment of N800”
“This will add more burden to the transporters and commuters as the daily payment of the so-called harmonised N800 will be an addition to the already existing multiple levels by the transport unions” a stakeholder in the transport industry noted.
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Oyebamiji, NIWA boss, assures international community of Nigeria’s irrevocable commitment to secure, safe waterways transportation
Funso OLOJO
The Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, has taken his campaign for safe and secure water transportation in Nigeria to the international audience in London where he reiterated the irrevocable commitment of the Authority to accident -free navigation on Nigeria’ s inland waterways.
Oyebamiji, who was in London, attending the 46th Consultative Conference of Contracting Parties in International Maritime Organization, (IMO) Headquarters in the United Kingdom, vowed that no stone would be left unturned to champion the constitutional obligations of the Authority and achieve its mandate under the umbrella of Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said the safety on Nigerian Waterways remains nonnegotiable as the Authority was irrevocably committed to nip in the bud the scourge of boat mishaps occasioned by noncompliance with the safety standards by the reckless boat operators and defaulters.
NIWA boss further disclosed said insights at the ongoing conference would further help to improve and develop Nigeria’s inland waterways for navigation as part of the cardinal objectives of the Authority.
Oyebamiji joined other stakeholders, intellectuals and experts in the maritime sector across the globe, where they are dissecting the topical issues bordering on Marine Geoengineering; Marine Litter and Microplastics and CO2 Sequestration in order to decisively tackle critical ocean challenges across the world.
According to him, by implementing the London Protocol, Nigeria can significantly advance its inland waterways sector, aligning it with sustainable international practices, protecting marine ecosystems and strengthening socio-economic benefits.
The Protocol which has serious implications on the Nigerian Maritime sector is centered on issues relating to inland waterways as it shapes environmental practices, safety and sustainability.
Some of the issues being deliberated on were; environmental protection; strengthened waste management practices; international compliance and standards; capacity building and training; enhanced monitoring and enforcement; support for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and health and livelihood support respectively.
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