Olisawarren, Consultant to government on land taxes bemoans loss of 75 per cent of revenue running into millions to touts in Anambra

www.odogwublog.com reports that Oliswarren Group limited , the road taxes consultant to Anambra
state Government, has said that the state had lost 75 per cent of its potential revenue to illegal vehicle licensing agents.

Managing Director of Oliswarren Group, Mr Marcel Manafa , stated this during an awareness campaign against touting in Awka.
He said that the loss which ran into hundreds of millions of naira, was caused by the issuance of fake licenses by touts.

He said that non-renewal of expired motor particulars and sales of other states' number-plates in Anambra were also part of the problem. “We are talking about 75 per cent loss as at the end of 2014, these losses are mainly due to issuance of fake licenses, non-renewal of expired particulars as well as sales of number-plates of other states in Anambra.

''We are trying to instill sanity on the roads; most vehicle licenses on our roads are fakes, so we want to sensitise the public.

''We also warn the illegal operators that their days are numbered. Enforcement shall commence next week and the idea is that no motor vehicle licenses and particulars from other states should be sold in Anambra,” he said.

He said the loss was also caused by illegal sales of motor vehicle licenses and particulars of other states in Anambra, pointing out that the government could no longer allow such leakages.

Manafa said the road-show sensitisation campaign was to educate the motorists about the unwholesome practices and them to avoid such, being vulnerable to such practices, as ignorance would not be taken for an excuse.

He also urged them to regularise their papers, adding that the state government had set up a task force to enforce the possession of proper vehicle particulars.

The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission in Anambra, Mr Sunday Ajayi, also urged the motorists to ensure that they obtained their vehicle licenses through due process.

Ajayi advised them to patronise authorised operators to avoid fake papers.
On his part, Mr Patrick Chukwuka, the Motor License Registrar in the state, said it was high time touts left the business as the government was out for them.

Chukwuka, who corroborated the huge loss of revenue to illegal agents, said the process of obtaining valid particulars was now seamless and not time consuming.

He urged the motorisits to go to authorised license agents in the state to register as touts would only issue them papers that were not from the government.

The campaign was a joint action by VIO, security agencies, and other stakeholders’ holders in transport sector.