The Cross River State Government has exempted women involved in commercial transportation and men aged 60 and above from paying vehicle registration fees and daily operational levies.
This is in line with a policy the state’s transport regulatory agency described as part of Governor Bassey Otu’s People First agenda.
CTRA Chairman Chief Oliver Orok announced the policy on Monday during a meeting with the drivers’ union covering Calabar metropolis and the southern senatorial district, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
He framed it as part of what he called a “Season of Sweetness” for commercial transporters in the state.
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What Orok is saying
Orok said the exemptions apply to women actively operating commercial vehicles and to male vehicle owners aged 60 and above who choose to drive commercially.
- “Women who are into this driving business will not pay for registration of their vehicle and will not pay daily operational levies. The operation is free for them,” he said.
- “Men above 60 years of age, who own their vehicle and wish to drive commercially, are also exempted. They won’t pay registration, or pay daily levies,” he added.
Beyond the exemptions, Orok said the government had reduced ticket prices to a minimal amount and suspended enforcement of some road offences to allow commercial drivers to operate more freely, adding that free transport services during festive periods and fuel support for vehicle owners would also continue.
On the issue of revenue compliance, Orok said enforcement had become necessary because some drivers and union officials were encouraging others not to pay levies, creating both revenue losses and internal divisions within the union.
- “When those who pay notice others are not paying and are being covered, they also refuse to pay. This enforcement is to ensure fairness and protect government revenue,” he said.
More insights
Orok announced that the CTRA would commence special enforcement from August 1 in partnership with security agencies to ensure compliance, while also urging drivers to complete their registration and maintain the state’s official vehicle colours rather than using unauthorised stickers or paint schemes.
Alongside the policy announcements, CTRA used the meeting to facilitate voter registration for commercial drivers, inviting the Independent National Electoral Commission to register drivers for voter cards at the venue.
Orok said many commercial drivers lack the time to visit ward offices for registration, and that plans are underway to site INEC registration points along major transport routes to improve access for drivers who spend most of their working hours on the road.
What you should know
The latest exemptions build on a series of transport reforms introduced by the Cross River State Government in recent months to ease the burden on commercial operators.
Earlier this month, Nairametrcs reported that the Cross River State Government has prohibited Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from carrying out road enforcement operations across the state, following growing complaints from commercial transport operators.
The move came after commercial bus and tricycle operators protested what they described as excessive ticket charges, steep fines, and persistent harassment by VIO enforcement teams.
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