By Idris Mohammed

Federal Government said it is working to remove multiple taxation on roads to promote free movement of goods within the country.
The government said that multiple taxation on roads was against ECOWAS rules and regulations.
The Minister of Transport, Mu’azu Sambo, spoke at the 10th national delegates conference of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Abuja, where the National President of RTEAN, Dr Musa Maitakobi, was returned re-elected for a second tenure.
Sambo said, “We’re working on that because multiple taxation on our roads is against ECOWAS rules of free movement of goods. We are in touch with several states. After the last road monitoring exercise, the notes are yet to come in full, but we will discuss with the state commissioners of transport the issue of multiple taxation.
“It’s not good, it’s a burden and it pushes up the price of products that farmers are taking into the various market.”
He added that, “Road transport accounts for 90 per cent of the movement of goods, services and persons and it’s tied to the economic recovery and growth plan of the present administration. Therefore, as a major player in the set up, RTEAN plays a pivotal role in the growth and recovery of the nation.”
The Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, who was also present at the conference, urged RTEAN to enlighten its members on issues of gender-based violence which often occured in motor parks.
According to her, GBV is a serious issue that affected women and girls, adding that the RTEAN should take proactive measures to address it.
The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Daudu Biu, represented by the Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, attributed the upsurge in road crashes to night journeys.
He said most road crashes occur at night due to poor visibility, fatigue, and over-speeding.
Biu therefore called on road users to exercise caution and avoid night journeys as much as possible.
He said, “Mainly, all the accidents that are claiming lives these days, when you look at it, it’s either in the night or early in the morning. We want to plead that, in as much as, we cannot stop night journeys, you should advise your men that if you can avoid doing this (night journeys), please do.
It’s safer for you to travel during the day because when you crash in the night help does not come easily.”
Maitakobi urged members to embrace innovation and accept new technologies that can improve the transportation.