By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Tricycle operators in Awka North and South Local Government Areas of Anambra State, have given a thumb up to Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the road projects he is doing, saying: “It’s a proof of accountability for taxes we are paying.”

The group under the aegis of Anambra Keke Drivers Forum (AKDF) stated this during an inspection tour of the road projects in the area on Monday.

The operators, who were mobilized by their coordinator, Mr Osita Obi said they were satisfied with the ongoing road construction across the state by the governor.

Recall that on the early days of Soludo’s administration the keke operators had embarked on a protest, accusing him of high-handedness and oppressive tax regime, though the issue was later addressed.

According to the coordinator of the forum, the aim of the inspection is for keke drivers to see first hand what the governor is doing and where the tax they’re paying are deployed to.

He said: "We praise the governor where he’s doing well and ask him to continue. We also want more Keke drivers to come into government tax net, so that government will have more money to embark on more roads.

“This exercise is not politically motivated. I’m not swayed by any political party, but totally dependent. I praise what is good and criticize what is bad.

“This is my brain child. I’m the sponsor, originator, financier and facilitator of this forum. I’m not a Keke driver, but I came in as a rights activist when I saw the heavy tax being imposed on this people. We led a protest to the governor, and he listened and disbanded some groups that were collecting illegal tax from this people.”

Speaking to journalists, the Keke operators praised the governor for the quality of roads done, saying that there is no better way to campaign than to show Anambra people his projects.

An operator, Amos Nweke said: “With what we have seen on ground, we are now strengthened to do more to pay our taxes, and we will vote for Soludo if he contests again.”

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