The Chairman of the Bayelsa State Unified Ticket Committee, Mr. Doubara Kumokou, on Friday said that it has harmonised and consolidated road taxes to curb multiple taxes to commercial transporters.

The explanation is coming on the heels of the recent protest by commercial vehicle drivers operating in Yenagoa over exorbitant and multiple charges by the state government.

Kumokou said in Yenagoa, the state capital, that the committee was set up to tackle multiple taxation and exonerated Bayelsa Government from allegations.

He noted that the complaints by commercial drivers were born out of ignorance of the workings of the committee adding that they were saddled with the duties of protecting the interest of all stakeholders in the transport system in Bayelsa.

“The unified ticket system is a harmonised platform that brings together different cadres of tickets under one umbrella for all commercial vehicle drivers across the state capital and its environs.

“It is a one stop shop arrangement that brings all the charges together and offers reliefs by way of reduced charges compared to when paid in peace meals and saves time so that operators can face their core business.

“It has ended the illegal ticketing by unrecognised groups who hitherto did not render accounts of ticket sales thereby sanitising the system in the overall interest of transport operators and the government.

“It is a win-win situation because the state government receives the revenue from road taxes,” Kumokou said.

He noted that the Committee was seeking ways of addressing the complaints of commercial drivers following the intervention of Bayelsa Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

The chairman recalled that the Unified Ticketing system has been in place since 1999 adding that the present state government has limited agencies collecting road taxes.

He said that the Ministry of Environment, the Bayelsa State Environmental Sanitation Authority to stop further collection of tolls and tickets from the commercial vehicle drivers in the state.

He said that streamlining the revenue collection was aimed at checking multiplicity of taxes and regretted that officials of Yenagoa Local Government were yet to comply with the policy as its officials claim to be autonomous.

“This has led to difficulty in harmonising the Unified Ticketing System in the state, but we are very optimistic that the Deputy Governor will soon resolve all issues related to tax collection from commercial vehicle Drivers.

“Our appeal to them is to be calm and cooperate with the state government in moving the transportation sub sector forward,” Kumokou said.

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