Enugu State governor Peter Mbah has scrapped the daily N100-N200 tolls levied on petty traders who operate without lockup shops, branding the collections unlawful and halting them with immediate effect. The order, relayed on Tuesday by Secretary to the State Government Chidiebere Onyia, is part of a broader tax reform designed to shield low-income residents from unofficial revenue agents. Anyone who continues to demand the fees "whether for government or privately, will face strict legal consequences," Onyia warned on behalf of the governor. A task force headed by the SSG has been set up to police markets statewide, and council chairmen, traditional rulers, market heads, town union presidents-general, civil society groups and residents have been asked to report violators. The exemption applies only to open-stall traders; those in lockup shops must still remit annual rates of between N30,000 and N36,000.
By zeroing in on the N100-N200 daily tolls, Governor Mbah has removed a persistent street-level tax that often doubled as a shakedown. The real test will be whether the Onyia-led task force can stop market thugs who have long operated with impunity; if it works, Enugu's roadside pepper sellers and okirika vendors may finally keep today's profit for tomorrow's restock.
