Business activities and vehicular movement were disrupted in parts of Enugu on Wednesday as hundreds of commercial transport operators and market traders protested against what they described as excessive taxes and rising petrol prices.
The protesters, including tricycle operators, minibus drivers and traders, blocked major routes around Ogbete Main Market, Old Park and the Holy Ghost area, affecting movement into the city’s main commercial district.
The demonstrators expressed concerns over daily levies and other charges, saying the rising cost of operating their businesses, coupled with increasing fuel prices, was making it increasingly difficult to remain in business.
The protest came despite the Enugu State Government’s defence of its ongoing tax reforms.
Speaking at a revenue sensitisation forum, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service, Ekene Nnamani, said the state’s informal-sector internally generated revenue had increased from less than N100 million annually to N7.4 billion following the consolidation of levies through technology.
The state government said its central e-ticket system, which costs traders N36,000 annually and provides for consolidated daily payments by transport operators, was introduced to eliminate illegal road tolls and multiple collections by government agencies and local councils.
However, protesters at the scene disputed the government’s position, alleging that their daily operational charges had risen from N350 to N1,000 over the past 20 months.
A commercial driver, Michael Chieze, said operators were also required to pay park fees and could face heavy fines for failing to make payments before noon.
He added that the rising price of petrol had further increased the financial pressure on transport operators. According to him, petrol was selling for N1,450 per litre at the time of the protest.
As the demonstration caused congestion in parts of the state capital, police officers and government officials were deployed around the Ogbete-Holy Ghost corridor to engage with the protesters and restore normal movement.
