Zamfara Board of Internal Revenue is set to capture the biometric data of commercial motorcyclists operating in the state as part of effort at boosting Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
The board’s Director of Administration, Alhaji Mohammed Mukhtar, disclosed this on Monday in Gusau in an interview with newsmen.
He said as a result of the current economic downturn, the state was looking at ways of boosting its revenue.
Mukhtar said the government had reviewed its IGR policy, thereby increasing the tax imposed on each commercial motorcyclist from N20 to N50 per day.
According to him, the protest by the cyclists did not have the blessing of their union leaders.
He said all the necessary enlightenment and awareness campaigns on the new tax regime had been made.
“I believe the protest was not with the consent of their leaders, because the board had written to them formally and they have replied us, assuring us of their acceptance of the new tax regime,” he said.
Some of the cyclists had embarked on a protest march on Monday to the premises of state revenue board, challenging the new tax regime.
Malam Garba Bello, who spoke on their behalf, said they were worried about the manner of the registration process and the sudden increase in tax from N20 to N50.
He said the government should have used the right channel of communication to enable the riders to understand its policy.