The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) have been banned by the Edo State Government for their unlawful tax collecting practices in the state.
According to the report, this came after several unions and organizations in the state began collecting unlawful taxes under other names, which was a concerning trend.
Certain groups that had previously been granted limited authorization to work with the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) under well-defined terms “had grossly violated the conditions of their engagement and resorted to cash collections, extortions, social harassment, and intimidation,” the government said.
Secretary to the State Government, Umar Ikhilor said in a statement on Wednesday, “Specifically, the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), ANNEWAT, and Drivers on Wheel are hereby banned with immediate effect,”
“These unions are not authorised to collect any form of dues, levies, taxes, or charges from motorists, drivers, traders, or any member of the public in Edo State,” it added.
The statement claims that a private consultant who was previously hired to ensure compliance is also prohibited.
“Credible reports reaching the people-loving governor indicate that the firm and its workers have become complicit in widespread extortion and abuse of mandate, thereby betraying the trust reposed in them by the state.
“The government considers these actions as acts of economic sabotage, social oppression, and a direct affront to law and order. The era of using unions as fronts to harass, intimidate, or extort drivers and road users in the name of revenue collection is over,” the statement added,
The state government issued a warning, stating that no person or organization affiliated with any of these unions was allowed to demand payment of any kind from drivers or other road users. It cautioned all drivers and road users from paying any cash or complying with any illegal tax imposed by these prohibited organizations.
Additionally, it stated that the Edo State Special Task Force should be notified right away of any such unlawful activities.
