Foodstuff, Cattle Dealers Decry Multiple Taxation, Extortion

Amalgamated Union of Foodstuffs and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) has decried the recurring incidence of multiple road taxes experienced by its members when transporting cattle and foodstuffs across Nigeria, especially in the South East.

Dr Mohammed Tahir, national president of the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuffs and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria, raised the alarm when the union paid a courtesy call to the minister of livestock development, Dr Idris Mukhtar Maina, in his office.

He pointed out that members faced challenges with illegal tax collection and acts of extortion perpetrated by illegal collectors on the road. These seriously discouraged members from transporting foodstuffs and cattle to other regions, thus hindering smooth operations and resulting in high consumer prices.

Dr Tahir said, for example, instead of moving from Mubi, instead of going through Adamawa, Taraba and Cross Rivers, their members have to go through Yola, Numan, Gombe and Wudil before Kano as their final destination.

However, it was added that the union members are now adapting to new livestock management techniques.

In his response, the minister called for further support of the union in the government’s effort to collaborate with stakeholders in improving the livestock sector, e.g., modern abattoirs and checking the menace of cattle rustling in Nigeria.

Barr. Saleh Magama, the union’s legal adviser, said AUFCDN represents stakeholders in the food value chain whose activities contribute to food security and ensure the seamless flow of goods and services across Nigeria.