STAND OFF @ ONITSHA BRIDGE HEAD: THE HIGH PRICE OF FAILED PUBLIC POLICY

By Victor Anazonwu

At about 1:00pm today, Friday, December 9, 2022, an uneasy truce was reached between truck operators and representatives of the Anambra State Government to reopen the Niger Bridge Head after a seven-hour standoff during which truck operators barricaded the Onitsha end of the bridge with their loaded vehicles.

The bridge is the only road link between the Southeast region and the entire Western Nigeria, connecting Asaba in Delta State with Onitsha in Anambra State. So, expectedly, a massive gridlock ensued within minutes.

Truckers were protesting what they considered unjust and excessive new levies imposed by the Anambra State Government of Prof Charles Soludo on transporters.

It was understood that each truck entering the state was expected to pay up to N30,000 (about $66 at official bank rate), failing which the operators faced violent retribution from state officials and (sometimes) criminals who claimed to be acting on behalf of the state government.

Early this morning, the truck operators decided that enough was enough. They plunged other users of one of the busiest roads in Nigeria into great suffering to show their grievance. It was a pitiful sight as even expectant mothers, the sick and the dead in transit were subjected to great indignities while the standoff lasted.

The state government delegation led by the Special Adviser on Security, AVM Ben Chiobi (rtd) arrived the scene hours after the bedlam began while the truck operators were represented by leaders of various affiliated unions and stakeholder groups. The police Area Commander and DPO of the Bridge Head police station hosted the negotiations.

After a deal was struck and the road was reopened, began the slow and painful process of unlocking a traffic gridlock which was estimated to stretch up to 20 kilometers on either side of the highway. It was one of the worst gridlocks Anambra and Delta states had seen in recent times.

The verdict of the people on the streets was unanimous: Governor Soludo should urgently rescind and review his recently introduced tax policies or risk losing mass support; an impoverished and struggling people cannot pay taxes with their blood.

Alternatively, he should consider small, slowly incremental tax changes accompanied by visible improvements in social services. The latter will drive compliance and minimize citizen resistance.