The protesters
Cement
distributors and truck drivers at the United Cement Company of Nigeria
manufacturing plant in Mfamosing, Akpabuyo Local Government Area of
Cross River State, have embarked on a protest over the hike in road
maintenance levy by the government.
The dealers said on Tuesday that the
government reviewed the levy from N500 to N12, 800 for each truck load
of cement with effect from Monday, September 2.
The protesters said apart from not giving enough notice, the increase was exorbitant.
The truck drivers insisted that they
would not load their trucks until the government shifted its position by
reducing the amount to a bearable amount, which they put at N1,000.
Manager of Ubotex Nigeria, Mr Emmanuel
Bassey, a distributor, said the action of the government was in contrast
with the Federal Government’s effort at bringing down the price of
cement in the country.
Bassey said if the dealers were made to
pay the amount, it would lead to an increase in price of cement, adding
that it would be too much on consumers.
He said, “If we pay N12, 800 and we add
it to the current price of cement, it will be too much on consumers.
This is also coming at a time when the Federal Government is asking us
to reduce the price of cement in the country.”
Another distributor, who is the Managing
Director, Etim C Okon Nigeria, Mr Etim Okon, said the dealers were
willing to meet with the government for a dialogue.
Etim said the dealers were ready to pay levy but not as high as N12, 800.
“We are not saying that we will not pay levy to the government, but something in the region of N1,000 will be okay,” he said.
He warned that the reaction of the
dealers and the drivers could adversely affect the state economically
and urged the government to tread with caution.
He said, “Ordinarily, government has the
upper hand, so if it insists on increasing the levy, there is nothing
we will do. But the implication is that we may go for other brands of
cement that are cheaper.
“They should not fail to understand that
UniCem is of great economic benefit to the people and the government of
Cross River State.’’
A truck driver, Mr Christopher Okeke, said the drivers were already paying an accumulated N3,800 levy on the roads.
“We currently pay N3,000 community levy
as directed by the State House of Assembly and N800 levy for the
national union. So, if this N12, 800 is allowed to stay, it will be too
much for us,” he said.
Efforts to get the Head of Corporate
Affairs of UniCem, Mr. Ayi Ita, proved abortive as he neither picked
calls nor responded to text messages sent to his telephones.
The chairman of the Cross Rivers State Internal Revenue Service, Cletus Adie, was said to be out of the state on official duty.
However, an official in IRS, who spoke
on condition of anonymity, said the protesters were adequately notified
of the development.
He said, “They were sufficiently
informed. The road maintenance levy is to assist government to maintain
the roads as their trucks do a lot of damage to our roads.
“Each truck has to pay as they lift. The
people cannot tell us they were not aware of this development as we
have been negotiating with them for some time.
“They are not the only company operating
in Cross River State. We have other companies operating quarries in the
state and they have been paying this levy without complaint.”
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