The Kogi State Government has imposed a ban on the daily collection of revenue by transport unions across the state.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo made the announcement during a strategic stakeholders engagement meeting in Lokoja on Wednesday. Represented by the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, the Governor explained that the implementation of the Infrastructure Maintenance Levy (IML) had been undermined by some union leaders prioritizing personal gains over the welfare of their members and the state.
Details of the Infrastructure Maintenance Levy
The IML, introduced in 2017 under the Kogi State Revenue Harmonization Law, is a daily levy intended for commercial vehicles operating in the state, aimed at funding the maintenance and improvement of infrastructure.
Governor Ododo clarified that while individuals’ rights to freedom of association will be respected, union dues must be agreed upon by members and collected monthly, bi-annually, or annually, rather than daily as per the unions’ by-laws.
New Levy Rates and Implementation
After consulting with relevant stakeholders, including the unions, the state government has set official IML rates for all 21 local government areas in the state:
- Lokoja metropolis:
- Tricycles (Keke): N500
- Motorcycles (Okada): N400
- Buses: N700
- Sienna vehicles: N600
- Outside Lokoja metropolis:
- Tricycles: N400
- Motorcycles: N300
- Taxi cabs: N400
- Sienna vehicles: N500
Support for Policy Enforcement
The State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd), assured that the new policy would be enforced strictly and urged all unions to comply with the law.
In response, Yahaya Ibrahim, the Chairman of the Kogi State Chapter of NURTW, along with leaders from other transport unions, expressed their commitment to abiding by the new policy.
Comments
Loading…