The Lagos House of Assembly has warned the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to desist from extorting operators of courier and logistics services in the state.
The warning came in a resolution of the house, sequel to a motion moved by Mr. Sanni Okanlawon (Kosofe 1) during plenary session on Monday.
Okanlawon, in his motion, expressed concern about the complaint of operators of courier and logistics services on their experiences with touts and local government officials who disturb them.
He, therefore, urged the house to call on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct the Commissioner for Transportation to ensure operators of courier services and logistics were not harassed by the local government officials.
“The house should call on Local Governments and LCDAs to desist from harassing and extorting operators of courier and logistics services and restrain their traffic departments from doing so.
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“The Ministry of Information and Strategy should educate operators of Courier and Logistics Services and inform them about what is expected of them,” he said.
The lawmaker said that the state Commissioner of Police should ensure that all extortionists in the state were apprehended.
Okanlawon said that the laws restricting movement of motorcycles in some areas in the state exempted those of courier and logistics services.
Commenting, Mr Bisi Yusuf said the motion was timely.
He said that the use of task forces by council workers to deal with operators of courier services was an embarrassment to the state government.
Yusuf said some operators had taken those local governments to the court on the issue in the past and won.
Leader of the House, Sanai Agunbiade, said that courier and logistics services help people in different areas to interact with their customers.
Agunbiade said that it was a way of boosting the economy of the state and empowering the people through employment.
Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, said in his submission that it was disappointing that the state came third, behind two northern states, on ease of doing business.
He said that something must be done on this urgently.
The speaker said that local governments harass and extort people on a daily basis.
“The power of the local governments is limited to bicycle and some others in that category.
“They should not be disturbing a business that is reducing unemployment in the state.
“This is because the services of courier operators have reduced congestion and poverty in the state and they don’t have nothing to do with the registration of motorcycles and tricycles.
“Operators of courier and logistics services should not be made to pay in all the local governments considering what they charge for their services,” he said.
Obasa said local governments should be informed about their limitations on the collection of fees. (NAN)