Toll Gate Would Be The Best If The Government Can Effectively Return Them, Says Sabastine, Natoinal President Of Vehicles Owners

By Victor Udu 

In this interview, the National President, Delivery Vehicle Owners and Drivers Association of Nigeria (DELVAN) Comrade Raphael Sabastine, stated that “toll gates would be the best if government can effectively return them.” he also spoke on various issues ranging from numerous tolls charged by various agencies, harassment from security agencies and plans to build more parks for trucks across the six geo-political zones of the country.

Excerpts:

What is the main focus of DELVAN?

Well, the Delivery Vehicle Owners Association of Nigeria (DELVAN). Its vehicles are involved in the conveyance of goods and services. The association is a national organization with branches in all the states of the federation.Before now, drivers suffered from one predicament to another. One could not move from one state to another freely without being confronted with multiple revenue levies and this caused a lot of problem to transporters. So DELVAN came as a child of necessity to bridge the gap between government and members of the organisation, by partnering with government at all levels to fight against multiple taxation on our roads. A lot of 'mushroom' organisations have also sprouted up to hinder our smooth relationship with government and continue to plunder transporters. DELVAN is a weapon in curbing those excesses on our roads.

We have endeavored in bringing transporters into an umbrella body called DELVAN, where information from government is seamlessly passed on to our members and vice versa. And, frankly, I must confess that government has been very fair to us, particularly the Ben Ayade-led administration of Cross River State. I have to be sincere with you, the government of Cross River and the federal government have tried their best. Government's primary aim is to ensure security of life and property. If not for government, there would be no way to do business. Governments at various levels have done well in securing our roads, which has enhanced the operation of transporters in the country.Secondly, government has also done well in the area of road infrastructure development, which has, in no small measure, aided our operations.

You mentioned taxation. How does  it affect your business?

Just like I earlier mentioned, sometimes you want to start a business with little or no capital. You have to approach the bank for a facility. For instance, a trailer costs nothing short of N70 million. On getting the facility, you venture into the business, just to be confronted by touts on every section of the roads, hitting you with illegal taxes. Miscreants flood the roads with nail bars, endangering the lives of transporters in the name of generating revenue. Some revenue units can keep you there for a long time until you oblige to their demands. Sometimes the goods perish. The issue of multiple taxation is causing a lot of problems to transportation business in the country.

Meanwhile, there is a law from the Joint Tax Board, stipulating that once you obtain those papers, it covers your movement around the 774 local government areas in the country. But there are forces who flout such clear laws. They do all they can to collect money from you. So DELVAN, with tentacles across all the states in the country and the FCT, is here to effect the policy of the Joint Tax Board, where a revenue levy from one LGA applies to any other LGA in Nigeria.That is what we have been fighting for over 22 years now. Today, we have been able to streamline revenue collection for our members across the country. DELVAN has been able to clear taxes for her members across every state in Nigeria, and that is why whenever they see a vehicle with a DELVAN emblem, they give it express passage.

How would you assess haulage collection and its impact on the prices of goods and services?

 Yes. It is also one of the fights we have been fighting over time. Before now, Diesel was sold at the rate of about N108. From that it moved to over 200 and there about. At another point, it skyrocketed to over N500 and today, Diesel is sold for over N900 per litre. Even at that, whenever you go into business, you consider the capital and profit to be made. For instance, we have our parks in different states, where food produce are transported to other parts of the country. By then the budget for diesel was N100,000, today same budget is nothing less than N300,000. That is one reason. The second one is the duplication of checkpoints on our roads. There is this particular checkpoint at Mbok junction, along Ikom-Ogoja highway, the policemen there will charge you N2,000 per bag of garri. These are some of the indices that heighten prices of commodities in the market. From Benue to Cross River State, we have over 40 checkpoints extorting money from transporters and traders. You spend nothing less than five thousand Naira per check (except that of Mbok junction that charges per baggage). Within the Mbok junction, there are police, army and produce checkpoints. And these particular uniform men have defied the statutory practice of periodic transfer to other beats. They have been there for ages, extorting money from traders and transporters. These are some of the predicaments bedeviling the system.

Even the so-called touts are better to us. The policemen are causing a whole lot of nuisance on our roads.I have reported these anomalies to relevant authorities, but deem it expedient to bring same before you as mirrors of the society. How can those employed to protect us, in turn begin to exploit us in such manner? I am calling on the authorities to do something fast in addressing this ugly situation, otherwise, we will employ our own decisive measures to put a lasting solution to it.

There has been a general outcry about overloading and its effect on our roads. Have you been able to sensitize your members on that?

Yes! Severally, we have organised seminars and symposium for our members. And we have entered partnership with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) to checkmate those excesses from our end. We have been hitting hard against overloading. Because when you overload a vehicle, the tendency for safety is eluded. It is very risky and dangerous. There is also an existing task-force to sanction defaulting members. 

The higher capacity trucks owned by Quarry Companies in the State are also a contributory factor to the damage on our roads. Those companies have trucks that can carry a four-truck load of granite at a go. A truck is supposed to carry 30 tons of granite, but theirs carry up to 120 tons of granite at once. It impacts terribly on the roads. Unfortunately, they are private entities, and not part of DELVAN. We can not regulate their operations.

What do you do to check reckless driving?

Part of our job is to train drivers. So reckless driving is not something associated with DELVAN members. We ensure that our members adhere to safety precautions on the road. We are also against night driving. Anywhere night meets our member, it is expected of them to pull over until next morning.

What is your membership strength like?

For now, we have over 16,800 members across the federation. And DELVAN is not limited to only drivers and transporters’ welfare. We are a conglomerate. We have DELVAN hotels, trailer parks, water, etc. We have five trailer parks in Nigeria. One in Vandeykia, another in Adigbo, both in Benue State, one in Eleme, Rivers State, one in Ogoja and another in Odukpani Junction, both in Cross River State. We have a dream to establish parks in all the states of the countrf, so that wherever our members find themselves, they can be comfortable to relax ahead of their next trip.

What is your take on the planned introduction of toll gates by the Federal Government?

Toll gates would be the best if the government can effectively return them. As a child, I saw them. I wonder what happened that exterminated them. Toll gates will help in checkmating issues of smuggling and insecurity. As an organization, we are doing our best. The return of toll gates will be a welcome development, because it would also nip the issue of multiple taxation in the bud. My organization tries as much as possible to pay taxes for her members across the federation. It is a Civic responsibility. Tax evasion is a serious crime in civilised climes. We must learn to pay tax. We will always fortitfy our vehicles with relevant documents to avoid any encumbrance by revenue agents on our roads.

How well is your organization embracing insurance, given the risky nature of your job?

Domestically we have what we call Delivery Vehicle Owners Welfare Scheme. This scheme takes care of welfare for vulnerable members, and provide vehicles for hired purchases. It also caters to welfare packages for members and their family, in events of sickness, death of a member or loss of a relative. And in November, last year, we wrote officially to an insurance company, seeking to partner with them to improve members' welfare. The process is ongoing. DELVAN places high premium on the welfare and well-being of her members.