BENIN CITY -Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has said that drivers of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) Shuttle operating at Ring Road/Ibiwe in Oredo Local Government Area are not exempted from paying the N200 levy which other commuter buses pay to the local governments across the state.

Hon. Shaibu made the clarification yesterday when he visited the park to let the drivers know that the only set of drivers government granted such tax holiday are the ones operating within the campus.

He said the clarification became necessary following the complaints by the Oredo Local Government revenue officials that the drivers were not willing to comply with the state and local governments harmonised revenue law.

The Deputy Dovernor insisted that so long the drivers carry out their operations within Oredo local government area, they must pay their daily mandatory N200 to the council authority.

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“I am here following the report reaching me that you people were not ready to cooperate with Oredo revenue officials. The truth is that the N200 levy per bus you have been asked to pay is backed by law. So, you must pay.

“It is not a matter of dialogue, but a directive. Drivers used to be brutalised and forced by ‘Agberos’ to pay heavily, but now government has made it simple and convenient for you, even with respect, but you still want to resist. May be you like use of force and I will direct that a mobile court be brought here for legal enforcement.

Local governments need the money to pay workers salaries and to work, if you don’t pay levies and rates where would they generate their internal revenue from? he queried.

He told the grumbling UNIBEN shuttle drivers to comply with the harmonised levy law, maintaining that every kobo they pay would definitely get to government purse.