By PHILIP YATAI

The Transportation Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has suspended the enforcement of its Drivers and Riders Permit Levy until further engagement with relevant stakeholders.

The Mandate Secretary, Dr Chinedum Elechi, gave the directive in a letter addressed to the Managing Director of First Capital Cargo Ltd, the company contracted to collect the levy.

The decision, according to Elechi in the letter obtained in Abuja on Monday, followed the meeting held with the leaders of the dispatch riders on Feb. 19.

“Following the meeting with the leaders of the Association of Dispatch Riders in the FCT, and the concerns of multiple taxation by various authorities raised during the meeting, you are by this letter directed to suspend the enforcement of collection of the Drivers and Riders Permit Levy, pending further engagement with all relevant stakeholders.

“Please ensure this directive is accorded the needed attention and compliance,” the mandate secretary said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the dispatch riders had on Feb. 19, stormed the FCT Administration Secretariat, Abuja, protesting what they described as “multiple taxation.”

The riders, who came out in their thousands, appealed to the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to intervene and stop the extortion.

The riders claimed that they have been paying N13,000 annual levy to Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari and Gwagwalada area councils, in addition to the newly introduced N25,000 permit levy by the FCT Transportation Secretariat.

This, according to them, is in addition to the N300 ticket they pay each time they enter a market in Abuja, amounting to multiple taxation. (NAN)