Anambra Tricycle Riders Cry Out Against Multiple Taxation, Demands End to Touting in Transport Sector

 

A growing wave of discontent among tricycle operators in Anambra State has triggered a formal petition to the State House of Assembly, as members of the Anambra Tricycle Riders Association (ANTRA) call for immediate intervention to end what they describe as multiple taxation and harassment by unauthorized individuals posing as government agents.

Voicing their grievances during a recent sitting of the Anambra State House of Assembly, the tricycle riders, under the leadership of their Chairman, Comrade Chidozie Okafor, made an impassioned plea for legislative support. The association is urging lawmakers to help protect their members from exploitation by touts who have been extorting illegal levies in the guise of revenue collection.

Comrade Okafor praised the Assembly for its responsiveness and attentiveness to the plight of everyday citizens, particularly those who contribute to the state’s transportation sector. He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo and pledged continued support, noting that ANTRA would remain steadfast in encouraging its members to pay only the officially approved fees into the government’s coffers.

Expressing frustration, Okafor emphasized that the rampant extortion by agents without legal backing has continued to cripple the earnings of tricycle riders, most of whom are struggling to make ends meet. He called on the government to distinguish between legitimate taxation and the illegal demands of those he termed “scavengers” who have infiltrated the commercial transportation system.

“The illegal levies have become unbearable. Our members are being taxed from all directions by people claiming to represent the government, yet there’s no accountability,” Okafor said. “We are ready to cooperate with the government. All we are asking for is fairness and the ability to operate without fear of harassment or exploitation.”

During the plenary, the House took up the petition with keen interest. A detailed report from the Public Petition Committee was presented by its Chairman, Barrister Obi Nweke, who represents Anambra East Constituency. The Committee’s findings painted a grim picture of the unchecked activities of self-styled agents extorting riders under false pretenses.

According to the Committee’s report, the proliferation of touts—described as "scavengers"—within the transportation ecosystem has become a major concern. Many of these individuals operate in densely populated areas such as Onitsha and other commercial hubs across the state, often collecting money from riders using forged documents or unauthorized identity tags.

The Committee made a strong case for immediate government intervention. It recommended that any financial collection made in the name of the state government by unauthorized individuals or groups should be deemed illegal and nullified. More critically, the report called for the swift deployment of the Anti-Touting Squad to disband these illicit networks and restore order in the tricycle sector.

One notable name singled out in the report was an individual referred to as “Governor Obosi,” allegedly coordinating illegal revenue collection operations in Onitsha. Lawmakers were urged to ensure that such impostors are not only apprehended but also prosecuted to deter others from similar acts.

A significant proposal emerged from the Committee’s recommendation: the empowerment of ANTRA to oversee its own administrative and financial affairs. Specifically, the Committee advised the Commissioner for Transport to issue formal documentation authorizing ANTRA to collect dues, fees, and rates from its members directly—under state supervision. This move, the report argued, would promote accountability, streamline revenue generation, and curb extortion by non-state actors.

Further, the Committee stressed that any collections undertaken by ANTRA should be in alignment with rates approved by Governor Soludo. It underscored the importance of transparent remittance of funds to state accounts, ensuring that public revenue is directed toward ongoing infrastructural developments, including road construction and other social amenities.

Following the presentation of the Committee’s findings and recommendations, Barrister Nweke urged his colleagues to adopt the report as a legislative document that would serve as a reference for future engagements with the state’s transport unions.

The lawmakers, echoing the sentiments of the petitioners, expressed their concern over the unchecked activities of illegal tax collectors in the state. Several members voiced support for the petition and acknowledged the need to restore confidence among transport operators who are vital to the state’s commercial mobility.

As the Assembly prepares to move forward with implementing the recommendations, tricycle riders across Anambra await decisive action. For many, this petition represents not just a fight against illegal taxation, but a broader struggle for dignity, fairness, and the right to earn a living in peace.

Should the Assembly's resolutions be fully enforced, the move could set a precedent for how informal sector workers across Nigeria push back against exploitation, demanding not just representation but results.