Keke NAPEP operators in Umuahia, the Abia State capital have kicked against the introduction of daily online ticketing by the state government.
They said the policy is unfriendly, maintaining that they were not carried along.
The operators who staged a peaceful protest in the capital city on Tuesday said the members have been subjected to many unfair treatments by the agents of the state government.
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Speaking with ABN TV on Tuesday, one of the Keke drivers who gave his name as Onyekachi Amadi said they prefer the print daily ticketing, saying it saves time.
“We KEKE operators in Umuahia, we are not ready for online ticketing. If they want to give us ticket, they should print it out. If we come out in the morning we pay and continue with our work.
“We don’t want a situation where we will queue up and spend the whole day in the name of buying ticket. It is unfair and we are all the government. At least we should be carried along to know if we are willing to do it.
“Despite what the police are doing to us, if everyone is not wearing face mask, it’s only Keke people they arrest. If a passenger is not wearing a face mask, it’s the Keke driver they arrest and not the passenger. They will hold the Keke man and collect N5,000 from him. That is what police are doing in this Umuahia.
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“This one is what we are specific. The issue of buying ticket online, it’s not possible. We don’t want to lose any life because of this situation. People are ready to die because of it and we don’t want such thing” he said.
Mr. Amadi further alleged that the managers of daily print ticketing have not been faithful with the remittance to the government, maintaining that the operators will not be held responsible for such.
He expressed dissatisfaction that the policy is not well planned, adding that it is time-wasting.
He called on the Government to rethink the action, saying they can’t cope with the policy.
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Another protester, Samuel Eze said they are already under multiple taxations which he said entails buying ticket from various unions on daily basis.
He said they do not have the gadget to buy tickets online, calling on government to rethink the action.
All efforts by ABN TV to reach the Management of Abia State Board of Internal Revenue for a comment proved abortive.
