Meanwhile, in addition to the illegal collections by touts, tricycle riders and bus drivers in the state are made to pay between N15,000 to N25,000 monthly to the state government.
Shuttle bus drivers in Anambra State have lamented that they are daily extorted and harassed by touts, popularly known as Agberos.
The touts operate in cities across the state despite claims by Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration that their operation had been banned. The government had also promised to rid the state of illegal tax collectors.
The drivers said that they are being harassed and extorted on a daily basis by illegal tax collectors.
Meanwhile, in addition to the illegal collections by touts, tricycle riders and bus drivers in the state are made to pay between N15,000 to N25,000 monthly to the state government.
They, therefore, appealed to Governor Soludo to protect them from louts, who terrorise them.
The Secretary of Anambra State Shuttle Bus Drivers Forum (ASRBDF), Mr Akubilo Ifeanyi, told journalists in Awka, the state capital, that despite the ban on illegal tax collection in the state, touts still extort money from them everywhere in the state.
Ifeanyi alleged that the people engaging in the illegal tax collection operations and their sponsors in the state are well-known to the authorities.
He said, "We are suffering from multiple taxations as a result of the operations of touts in the state.
“In Onitsha, the Agberos (touts) collect N700, N3,000 in Ifite Awka and the same amount at Unizik and Eke Awka axis on a daily basis."
Ifeanyi expressed sadness about how they pay the state government stipulated levies, adding the payments do not reflect as “most of those who have paid the stipulated levies into government accounts are detained by the government task force teams allegedly made up of touts”.
He said drivers are detained and their vehicles are impounded for days and when they are released, they are forced to pay for the days they and their vehicles were “illegally” detained.
Ifeanyi said, “We are not happy that when our shuttle buses are with mechanics for three months, we will still pay. We are not happy that when a driver goes for an examination, he will still pay.
“We are not happy that when our buses are detained by the Agberos or enforcement team, we will be forced to pay again.”
“We are ready to support and cooperate with the government but the government must help us with these challenges of Agbero harassing us, paying when our vehicles did not work and other challenges.
“We are confused about the enforcement teams; there are lots of them. Some wear green uniforms, others wear red. We don't know the one to follow. Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) should help us with the right enforcement team and account to pay into," he added.
The ASRBDF Secretary further noted that the shuttle bus drivers have appealed to Governor Soludo to build public parks for them to carry passengers and that the governor promised to provide parks for them.
According to him, anytime they carry passengers from existing parks, they are forced to pay huge amounts of money as the operators of the parks usually claim that the parks are not public parks.
He, therefore, appealed to the governor to provide public parks for them and ensure the total eradication of touts in the state.