Kogi State Government has flagged off the collection of Drivers and Conductors badges, Commercial Vehicle Colour Exceptional Permits, and Mobile Hawkers’ Licences (trade permits) in Kogi State.
This action is taken by the government in order to curb the challenge of illegal roadblocks in the name of tax collection.
This followed the approval by the government for a consultant, Dansavist Multi-Concept, through the State Internal Revenue Service to drive the revenue accruable to the state in the transport sector.
Speaking in a message to the ceremony attended by Stakeholders in the Road Transport Sector, the Commissioner for Transportation, Hon. Atuluku Victor Levi, said the move was to promote safety and orderliness on roads across the State.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alh. Abuh Omale, the Commissioner noted that the flag-off, which is a milestone in restoring sanity to tax collection on roads, will ensure proper identification of practitioners in view of the insecurity challenges in the country.
He appealed to relevant stakeholders and road users to support the programme so as to also increase the revenue generation of the state and enable the government to carry out more developmental projects.
In his remarks, the consultant, Prince Olaitan Dada, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dansavist Multi-Concept, noted that the move, which is in line with both national and state traffic laws and the harmonisation of state and local government schedules to the taxes and levies gazette, will eliminate illegal taxation in the state.
Prince Dada further said, “Illegal tax collection and multiple taxations have long been a challenge for transporters and businesses operating both within and through Kogi State roads. These issues hinder the ease of doing business and lead to inflated costs for transportation, particularly affecting the agricultural sector.”
He maintained that “to address these problems, the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation and the State Security Agencies, has constituted a special task force.”
The MD/CEO noted that the newly initiated policy and constitutional revenue are already being practiced and implemented in up to 12 states, including Kwara, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Nassarawa, Kebbi, and Edo States.
According to him, apart from the elimination of illegal road taxes, the move will ensure a reduction in the incidence of double taxation, sanitise the road tax implementation and enforcement system, restore the integrity of the road tax collection process, and ensure that all collections are remitted appropriately to the Kogi State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Bank Account.
The Chairman of Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, Alh. Sule Salihu Enehe, in his speech, commended the Commissioner for Transportation for creating an enabling environment for the exercise of takeoff, assuring the full support of the agency.
Represented by Mr John Salifu, the KGIR boss reiterated that the ban on illegal roadblocks in the name of revenue collection is still in place, adding that the agency will intensify efforts to block every revenue leakage in the state.
On his part, the State Chief Vehicle Inspection Officer, Ahmed Dauda Enesi, said that as the implementing agency of the exercise, his officers and men are ready to ensure 100 per cent enforcement.
He added that, apart from the fact that the badges will be given to only drivers and conductors with driver licences, the programme is a calculated attempt to improve transportation in the state.
Speaking on behalf of drivers, the Vice Chairman, Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Danladi Ibrahim, described the exercise as a welcome development and promised their maximum support to ensure its success.
Alhaji Danladi lauded the state government for carrying them along in decision-making, describing it as the first of its kind in the history of the state.
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