By ANIETIE AKPAN, Calabar

Cross River State governor, Senator Ben Ayade has suspended the activities of the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) for violating the State’s tax exemption law.

A statement signed by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Christian Ita yesterday said ” in spite of Governor Ayade’s directives as well as the provisions of the Cross River State Tax Exemption Law, agents of the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) were still engaged in the sale of tickets to bus, taxi, okada and tricycle operators in the state”.

He said in view of this, “His Excellency has ordered the immediate suspension of the activities of the agency in the state.

“In addition, His Excellency has directed security agents to arrest anybody found selling tickets or collecting any form of tax from those exempted from paying tax in the state”.

Ita said, henceforth, the governor ” will not tolerate the flagrant disregard of the tax exemption law which has been in place for over three years now .

“On no account will any criminal and mischievous attempt to undermine and short circuit the noble effort of the governor, be allowed”.

CTRA popularly known as” 100 Marian” because of its location is the most dreaded government agencies by taxi, okada (motorcycle) and tricycle operators because of its notorious violent mode of implementing sales of daily tickets to them.

With this announcement, it was jubilation galore in Calabar by the operators saying “God will bless Ayade, now we know he is very serious with the law to protects” .

Recall that two years ago the governor had exempted the poor and low income earners from paying tax and tax exemption law put in place but this directive was ignored and last week Ayade again re-emphasised on the ban to ensure full compliance. (The Guardian)