By CHRISTIAN NJOKU

The Cross River Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

Gov. Bassey Otu announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders’ meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis, took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The governor said that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, Mr Sunday Dennis, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said that the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, Mr Nta Henshaw, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter. (NAN)

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