• Friday, March 29, 2024
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BusinessDay

AASME condemns planned increase in vehicle number plate, driving license fees by 50%

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African Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (AASME), Nigeria chapter, has condemned the Federal Government’s plan to increase fees paid to acquire vehicle number plates and driving license, saying it will worsen the problem of entrepreneurs in the country.

AASME explained that they have seen the publication of the Joint Tax Board of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wherein the board proposed an increase in the price of vehicle number plate and driving license by about 50 percent.

They argued that 50 percent increase in an era where the MSMEs are still struggling to come out of the pandemic, has stifled businesses, education, healthcare, tourism, and the entire economy.

The group in a statement, signed by Darlington Kalu, its president general, and made available to BusinessDay, described it as unbelievable that the federal government would initiate policies to extort the public.

Consequently, they urged the federal government to suspend the implementation of the policy.

AASME argued also that the quality of the vehicle number plate in Nigeria is inferior and should be improved to standard.

According to AASME, Nigeria vehicle plates fade within one year of procurement.

Read also: African SMEs need credit: FinTech to the rescue? (1)

They urged the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to report issues of bad roads to the federal government as part of safety control measures, noting that the safety of Nigerians is not guaranteed on the bad roads.

“Federal government and states should urgently set up transport motor companies with controlled transport fares for the security of Nigerians.

“Federal government should not reintroduce toll gates on federal roads until such roads are made accessible”.

They also urged the federal government to quickly establish the National Development Bank for SMEs to enable sector operators to access cheap funds.