Awka – Operators of commercial tricycle popularly known as Keke in Awka North and South council areas, on Wednesday staged a protest in Awka, Anambra State Capital, over alleged use of cultists to make them pay all manner of levies in the name of government revenue.
The protesters bore placards with inscriptions such as ‘conduct keke election in Awka North and South’, ‘Government can no longer continue to play the Ostrich in keke matters,’ ‘Government knows the cultists extorting us but don’t want to go after them,’ ‘we say no to use of cultists to collect revenue’, among others.
TNC correspondent in Anambra who has been investigating the situation, reports that the Keke operators have been forced to pay end of year party levy of N4,500, monthly dues of N800, initial registration fee of N50,000, renewal of identity card with N3,500, payment of park tickets among others.
There is also the issue of Anambra Transport Management Code, ATMC levy approved by government for N2,000 but the revenue agents collect between N5,000 to N7,000 and issue receipt of N1,500.
Recall that on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Keke operators in Awka South allegedly imposed on the operators by government, was shot dead, alongside two policemen of the Anti-Cult Unit in Awka.
Further inquiries revealed that the killings which were cult-related, also had a connection with the leadership of the Keke operators in the area and the Christmas levy collection.
Speaking during the protest, the Chairman, Awka North and South Keke Drivers Welfare Forum and Convener, Recover Nigeria Project, Comrade Osita Obi said the protest was to call on the state governor Willie Obiano to wake from his slumber and bring sanity to Keke business in the council areas.
According to him, the revenue agents imposed as leaders to the keke operators by government, are using cultists to harass the operators into paying all the obnoxious levies.
He accused some officials of the state government, especially the State Commissioner for Transport, Afam Mbanefo, of collecting huge sums of money as returns from the revenue agents, to pay a blind eye to their illicit activities.
“I am not doing this to run anybody down.
“I am only doing this to return sanity to the keke business in Awka North and South.
“The government, the police and the DSS know these cultists and their sponsors.
“The only reason why the DSS and the Police cannot act is because government gives these persons protection since they make huge financial returns to these government officials,” he said.
Obi emphasized that the keke operators are suffering, with their children and families living as paupers, not because they are not making the money but because the revenue agents have consistently ripped them off their earnings.
Comrade Obi maintained that the keke operators have agreed to pay all legitimate government revenues but noted that what they will not tolerate is extortion of the operators by government revenue collectors, making use of cultists.
“What we want is an end to the entire extortion.
“And if anything should happen to any of these keke operators who protested today or myself, we will hold the government responsible,” he said.
One of the keke operators, Collins Udeh regretted that many youths who had taken up keke business as a result of lack of jobs, have left the business and gone into crime, due to the constant harassment, urging government to come to their rescue.
“The idea behind keke business in the first place was to empower people.
“Today, you see government extorting the operators through the revenue agents who use cultists.
“The extortion is just too much and we just cannot take it anymore,” he stressed.
For another operator, Emeka Nwude, all the extortions, is as a result of the imposition by some officials of government, of some persons who are not keke operators as leaders of the Union in the council areas.
“It is worrisome that the people who claim to be keke leaders are living luxurious lifestyles through the earnings of operators.
“We didn’t elect any of them. They ride very flashy cars and complete mansions within six months from our levies.
“We insist that anyone who is going to lead us must be one of us. That way, they will feel our pains and be able to give us succor when we need it,” he said.
