This follows Gov. Chukwuma Soludo directives during his inauguration that all taxes and levies be put on hold to enable the administration to streamline all revenue collections to block leakages in the state.
Chief Arunsi Igbaniuka, Chairman of the association on Saturday in Onitsha warned members to resist giving money to some of touts working for Tricycle Owners Association of NIgeria (TOAN) or any other touts.
He also warned members that paying money to touts will attract severe sanctions for them.
“Our directive is that if any of them see any Keke drivers being molested by touts because of revenue collection, they should stop, help the person and call me on the phone.
“We will despatch our enforcement team and security operatives to arrest those touts. They should be their brother’s keeper. Failure to comply with this instruction will attract sanctions,” Igbaniuka said.
He also appealled to passengers and the general public to support the Keke Drivers’ Welfare in this struggle to end this economic oppression and exploitation.
The Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emperor Obaji decried that some of touts working for TOAN were still collecting revenue from their members inspite of the governor’s directive.
He said at AP filling station, Enamelware junction along Owerri Road, Ndida Well, Awada Junction which covers Obosi, and Chidiebere these touts still collect N300 from Keke drivers with threat to beat and inflict injury on any of their members who failed to pay.
Other pits, Obaji alleged that TOAN touts still collect money include Main Market/Iweka Road, Zik Avenue/Silas Works.
He decried the activities of touts in Onitsha and environs before now, where they unleashed terror and pain on people who came to do business in the commercial town.
He said: ” They inflicted fear, used broken bottles, cutlasses to main and kill innocent persons and nobody asked questions.
“Everybody was running for his dear life. Most people refused to come to do business in Onitsha because they were robbing and killing people. It formed part of the Serpentia Radio phone in programme, where people narrated their ordeal, yet nothing happened. They were so adamant until Governor Soludo came.
He said they commended the governor for his courage to sanitize Anambra State, stressing that it is those of us living in Anambra State that he will use in sanitizing the State, not angels.
Meanwhile, association chairman, has also lauded Soludo for the list of Commissioners he recently presented to the State Assembly.
He particularly congratulated the Commissioner for Transport designate, Mrs. Patricia Ifeoma Igwebuike.
He stressed his confidence in her ability to carry through Soludo’s agenda of flushing out touts and illegal revenue collection in Parks, markets and streets in the state.
Igbaniuka said they had supported the governor vision.
That is the reason, he said, they carried out road show to demonstrate their appreciation to the governor as well as checkmate the activities of those stubborn touts who still collect money from their members by force.
Igbaniuka asked the new Commissioner to be more proactive to avoid creating any loophole whenever she is cleared by the House and sworn in by the governor.
