PDP group condemns Akwa Ibom transport directive mandating biometric registration and unified ticketing for tricycles and minibuses

The Chairman of the PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice, Tom FredFish, and the group’s Secretary, Mr Saviour Uko, on Sunday criticised the Akwa Ibom transport directive mandating biometric registration and a unified ticketing system for commercial tricycles and minibuses across the state, describing the policy as insensitive to citizens already grappling with economic hardship.

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The directive, issued by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Transport in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service, is scheduled to take effect on Monday, March 16, 2026.

Authorities say the initiative is designed to strengthen revenue administration and improve documentation of commercial transport operators in the state.

However, the advocacy group within the Peoples Democratic Party argued that the policy represents a disguised financial burden on residents and transport operators.

In a statement released in Uyo, FredFish and Uko said the reform, presented as an administrative and technological upgrade, would ultimately translate into higher transportation costs for ordinary people.

“The PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice strongly condemns the recent directive mandating the immediate biometric registration and unified ticketing system for commercial tricycles and minibuses across the state,” the statement said.

“While the government may present this as an administrative reform, it is painfully clear that it is another disguised tax burden on the already suffering citizens of Akwa Ibom State.”

The group argued that the policy is being introduced at a time when workers and households are facing severe economic pressure, warning that additional costs in the transport sector could worsen living conditions.

According to the statement, many civil servants already spend a significant portion of their income on transportation due to the absence of a reliable and affordable state-run transport system.

“Instead of addressing fundamental problems in the transport sector, the government has chosen the easier path of taxing operators and indirectly transferring the burden to the public,” the group added.

The organisation emphasised that commercial tricycle operators, popularly known as keke riders, remain among the most economically vulnerable residents in the state.

Subjecting them to additional bureaucratic and financial obligations through biometric registration and technology-driven ticketing, it argued, places pressure on the poorest segment of society.

The group also expressed concern over unemployment levels in the state, saying economic policies should prioritise job creation and enterprise development rather than increasing levies on informal workers.

“Even more troubling is the failure of the administration to create enterprises capable of generating employment or stimulating economic productivity,” the statement continued.

“With thousands of young people unemployed and struggling to survive, it is both morally and economically misguided to focus on squeezing more money from struggling transport operators instead of creating opportunities for decent livelihoods.”

The advocacy group further criticised what it described as the state government’s perceived alignment with federal economic policies, arguing that the administration should instead shield residents from mounting economic shocks.

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It warned that continued policy decisions perceived as revenue-driven could deepen public frustration at a time when infrastructure challenges and cost-of-living pressures remain a dominant concern across the state.