Ogoja Cyclist Union Protests Multiple Taxations, Unfair Levies

By Missang AKPET

COMMERCIAL motorcycle riders in Ogoja metropolis have expressed their dissatisfaction over multiple taxation’s and levies put on them by the the local government council.

The riders under the ages of Ogoja Cyclist Union took to the streets of Ogoja in a peaceful protest to press home their demands against over taxation.

A spokesman of the union who spoke to newsmen said the union have not been treated fairly as the council executives meet and take decisions without consulting nor considering the cyclist body.

According to him, Cyclist in Ogoja are been caused to by daily tickets from Ogoja as well as Bekwara local government area which is not their jurisdiction.

“It is just yesterday we discovered that we have been buying Bekwara local government tickets alongside Ogoja local government cyclist ticket daily which is unacceptable, why should we buy Bekwara ticket?

“Secondly, the council is forcing us to buy vest to be using daily, a decision they took without consulting us. They claimed they called a meeting involving the union where the decision was reached meanwhile non of our members here attended such a meeting.

“Thirdly, the council has also introduced emblems for all bikes to buy which we don’t accept. How much do they think we make as okada riders that we will be made to buy all this? The only thing we have been used to and will accept to buy is the daily ticket from Ogoja local government council” he said.

The cyclist union numbering over a hundred motor cycle riders took the protest round some major streets of Ogoja metropolis.