Multiple Road Levies in Cross River Trigger Hardship for Citizens, Produce Haulers

 

 

Long-distance produce haulers operating along the North-South agricultural corridor have raised concerns over alleged multiple taxation, extortion and illegal revenue collection in Cross River State, warning that the practices could further raise the cost of transporting food and undermine inter-state commerce.

The complaint was raised by Alhaji Yunusa Mu'azu Ali, National Organising Secretary of the National Joint Farmers and Produce Association (NJFPA) and chairman of the association's Obubra chapter.

Mu'azu Ali said heavy-goods vehicles conveying agricultural produce through several local government areas (LGAs) in the state are subjected to multiple charges at different points, with cumulative costs sometimes exceeding ₦70,000 per trip, excluding annual vehicle stickers.

Alleged illegal collections

According to Ali, a major concern is the proliferation of unofficial revenue collectors and private contractors allegedly operating in the name of local government authorities. "Mostly in the South, an individual will come out and claim he was awarded a contract by the local government, then bring his own printed receipts to sell," he said.

He cited specific examples of charges allegedly imposed on haulers, including up to ₦40,000 in Boki LGA, about ₦37,500 in Obanliku (in addition to multiple local government stickers), and a further ₦14,500 in Obubra. He said the arrangement forces drivers to make repeated payments as they cross local government boundaries, despite having already paid produce-related charges at the point of loading.

Under the arrangement the association is advocating for, he said, haulers should pay a single recognised loading fee at the point of origin — covered by a receipt valid for cross-boundary movement — followed by an appropriate unloading fee at the destination.

Impact on food prices

The association said the alleged multiple levies are placing additional financial pressure on farmers, traders and transporters, with the cost ultimately passed on to consumers through higher food prices

Alhaji Yunusa Mu'azu Ali
National Organising Secretary of the National Joint Farmers and Produce Association (NJFPA)

Mu'azu Ali noted that many small-scale traders transporting commodities such as bananas, plantains and yams operate on profit margins of between ₦10,000 and ₦20,000, meaning repeated roadside charges can significantly erode or wipe out their earnings entirely.

He pointed to Benue State as an example of effective government intervention, noting that authorities there had previously abolished illegal checkpoints and introduced a single loading fee at designated market points. 

He also recalled that past Cross River administrations, including that of former Governor Liyel Imoke, had taken steps to curb arbitrary levies, but alleged the practice has resurfaced under some current local government administrations. Written complaints to some LGA chairmen, he said, had not yielded the desired response.

Call for government action

Despite these concerns, the association said it has refrained from industrial action, including strikes or road blockades, to avoid tension with government authorities. "At all times, our wish is to live in peace with everyone," Ali said. "If we were to park our trucks and go on strike, the government would view us as being in opposition to them, which we are not."

The NJFPA is calling on the Cross River State Government and relevant federal authorities to investigate the alleged illegal collections, regulate local government revenue activities, remove unauthorised checkpoints, and establish a transparent, unified framework for produce taxation. 

The association said such measures would protect farmers, traders and transport operators while helping reduce avoidable costs in the food supply chain and support the free movement of agricultural commodities nationwide.