TRANSPORTATION: Fed Govt frowns at multiple taxes, set to address it

The Federal Government has frowned at multiple taxation in the transportation sector, as it sets to address it.   Disclosing this, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr Magdalene Ajani, said the removal would reduce the cost of transport.   Ajani, while speaking on the sidelines of the National Transportation Technology Conference and Exhibitions (NTTCE), by the Forum of Transportation Commissioners in Nigeria, explained that streamlining the various taxes in the sector was necessary to enhance growth and development.   She said it is high time the unregulated multiple taxation be dealt with.   According to her, the law that governed the transportation sector apportioned roles for the federal, state and local governments.   In her words: “What we find happening is that there are multiple road stickers being sold by different group of people to road users.   “So, this tends to increase the cost of doing business on road transportation and this must be regulated.   “So, those purporting that the Federal Ministry of Transportation gave them approval to collect money on its behalf are not correct.”   Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, commended the Federal Government in addressing multiple taxation in the sector.   Oladeinde said the development would help the state governments in their transport policies.   He said technology was the way forward in driving the sector to make it more efficient and effective.   “We have deployed a lot of technology in Lagos, we are talking about the Cowry card for fare payment and this is going to be integrated on all our modes of transportation.   “We are looking at integrating timetable of mode of transport to cut down waiting time,” he said.   The Lagos State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Corp Commander, Olusegun Ogungbemide, said the corps had been using technology to improve their mode of operation.   He said technology has helped in reducing response time to crash scene and electronic ticketing in issuance of tickets for traffic offenders.   Ogungbemide said the corps would continue to ensure that the roads are safe and crash free.   Secretary, Nigeria Transportation Commissioners’Forum, Mrs Chinwe Uwaegbute, said the conference had brought the key stakeholders in the sector together to drive the industry forward.   She said: “The conference brought out many issues such as challenges of double taxation, need for interconnectivity for all modes of transportation for ease of doing business.The outcome of this conference would chart a course for a better growth and development of this sector.   “The Federal Ministry of Transportation is also part of this conference and we are hopeful that the points raised here will be used to generate policies that will aid growth in the sector.”