Governor Alex Otti on Wednesday announced the suspension of all forms of transport levies imposed on commercial tricycle, buses and taxi operators in Abia State forthwith. This is in keeping with his campaign promises of abolishing all of such levies.
Otti spoke through his Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma that he promised to sanitise the sector during his campaign and therefore is under obligation to end what he described as extortion, intimidation and harassment of motorists in the state.
According to the statement; “The suspension takes immediate effect, and will remain until the government reviews these levies and makes public its arrangements for the smooth, organised and transparent collection of such transport levies in a manner it would not lead to extortion, intimidation and violation of rights and privileges of Abia residents.”
The state government, it said “believes that the present method is archaic and very harmful to the lives of the people and the economic well-being of the state, and thus should not be allowed to continue.”
