THE State government, today, said from February 1, commercial transporters would be paying daily N800 consolidated informal transport levy to the state government, along with the union dues collected by the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
In a press briefing, the Commissioner for Finance, Dr Rabiu Olowo, at the agreement-signing ceremony by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), local councils and transport unions, said that the consolidated levy became important to ensure that the transport sector in the state is organised and fits into a 21-century economy.
He said that the levy takes care of dues previously paid to local councils across the state, as well as revenue for Lagos Waste Management Authority (LASWA) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Lagos State Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) among other MDAs.
According to him, the state government expects that once a transporter pays the N800 at a point, he or she is expected not to pay at any other park or bus stop throughout the day.
He also said that the government expected that union members would not be running after buses as transporters are not expected to pay at every bus stop or parks they make a stop. Olowo further said the consolidated levy would reduce multiplicity of levies collection as many residents and transporters have complained about the huge levies unions often collected.
The commissioner also made allusion to a report about the N150bn that transport unions collect in Lagos under the disguise of collecting dues, saying the new development will eliminate multiple taxes.
