By Daniel Tyokua
Dispatch Riders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have begged the Minister, Nyesom Wike to rescue them from unending taxation.
The riders on Thursday, staged a peaceful protest at the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s gate, urging the Minister to intervene.
Spokesperson for the riders, Mr. Olawale Ilesanmi, said the riders are not unaware of their obligation to pay tax, which they have been paying.
Ilesanmi, however, said the multiple taxation imposed on dispatch riders has become unbearable.
He explained that the protest was to say “no to multiple taxation” and to appeal to the FCT minister to put an end to the alleged unlawful taxes.
According to him, the dispatch riders have been paying their tax obligation to Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari and Gwagwalada area councils, amounting to multiple taxation.
He said the riders were paying N13,000 annually to the area councils, adding however, that a new revenue collector had emerged, asking for N25,000 in the name of FCT Administration.
According to him, the motorcycles of many riders have been impounded and the owners forced to pay the new fee before the motorcycles will be released.
He added that “the N25,000 is way higher than what we pay the area councils. We are, therefore, kicking against the multiple taxation that is affecting us directly in Abuja.
“We riders, we know that it’s our statutory obligation to pay tax and we have been complying year in year out, paying to AMAC, paying to Bwari and to Gwagwalada area councils.
“But all of a sudden, another group of tax collectors emerged from nowhere with another demand in the name of FCT Administration, asking for higher tax compared with what we pay to AMAC.”
The spokesman added that the riders equally pay N300 ticket each time they enter a market in Abuja.
“This means that when we enter the market 10 times in a day, we are bound to pay N300 10 times,” he said.
