By Tom Zaneni, Abuja
The Abuja Drivers Delivery Van Association (ADDVA) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried alleged increasing extortion of its members through conflicting permits by the Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signage, and the FCT Transportation Secretariat.
The association said the separate permits and activities of the two departments and their hired consultants were negatively affecting the finances of the drivers.
The chairman of ADDVA, Lawal Abdullahi, who stated this at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, complained that drivers face harassment for not paying for the two permits sold to them.
He said the conflicting permits cost between N35,000 and N50,000, which the drivers are forced to buy by the two departments and their consultants.
Abdullahi said one of the permits is labelled “state permit” while the other is “haulage permit”, adding that motorists are confused and frustrated by the brazen method of operation of the departments’ officials.
He said the permits are also called “Wike’s documents” and the consultants usually insist on collecting cash payment which raises suspicion about the destination of the money.
Abdullahi appealed to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to address the concerns of the ADDVA members before the situation gets out of hand.
He said,”We are here today to draw the attention of the Honourable Minister, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, to the critical issue of conflicting permits being sold to Abuja motorists.
“Two departments under the FCT Administration, the Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signage (DOAS) and the FCT Transportation Secretariat, have each employed consultants to sell separate permits: one called the ‘State Permit’ and the other the “Haulage Permit”.
“The situation has escalated into a nightmare for us, we are now forced to purchase both permits with fees ranging between N35,000 and N50,000 depending on which consultant is involved.
“Worse still, the two departments refuse to acknowledge each other’s permits, we are in a state of confusion and subjected to double payments.
“The conflicting permits have led to unnecessary financial burdens on drivers because many of us are already struggling with Nigeria’s current economic climate.
“Unsuspecting drivers are falling prey to these illegalities. They pay for one permit, only to be harassed for not having the other. This chaotic situation has no legal or constitutional basis, and it is creating severe financial stress on Abuja drivers.
“These payments are tagged as ‘Wike’s Documents,’ even though there seems to be no legitimate connection to the FCT Administration. Drivers have no choice but to comply, and this has led to a growing sense of frustration and helplessness.
“We respectfully request the Honourable Minister to take immediate action by abolishing these permit payments. They have no constitutional backing, and stopping them would alleviate the financial burden on drivers and restore order to Abuja’s roads.”
He cautioned that failure to stop the extortion could lead to a disharmony on Abuja roads.
“We believe that the Honourable Minister, with his track record of leadership, will not allow this issue to fester. The conflicting permits and double payments must be addressed immediately. Failure to do so will only continue to place an undue burden on drivers and further disrupt the harmony of Abuja’s roads”, Abdullahi said.
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