Ahead of Saturday's election, the Akwa Ibom State Government has suspended all levies and daily tickets to tricycle and minibus operators in the Uyo metropolis.

A statement by the state Commissioner for Transport, Uno Etim Uno, on Monday, said the gesture was to cushion the ongoing cash crunch and other challenges suffered by transporters as a result of the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The statement reads in part, “Due to the harsh realities occasioned by the cash crunch in the country, the Akwa Ibom State Government hereby graciously announces a five-day suspension of daily ticketing for operators of commercial tricycles and minibuses.”

“The suspension takes immediate effect from Monday, March 13 till Friday, March 17, 2023.

“This development will help the operators breathe a sigh of relief as they struggle to earn a living amidst these biting hard times.

The government notified all operators of tricycles and minibuses as well as the monitoring unit of the development and possible compliance.

”The general public, particularly operators of commercial tricycles and minibuses and the Compliance and Monitoring team are hereby notified of this development.”

The commissioner urged the benefitting transporters to use the five days tax holiday to take an active part in the governorship and state Assembly poll reschedule for March 18, 2023, in the state

“In continued support for the state government, transporters are urged to use the five days of grace to prepare to take an active part in the governorship and state assembly elections slated for Saturday, March 18, 2023.

“It is hoped that in response to the kind gesture of the state government, transporters will remain law-abiding and shun all forms of violence throughout the period of the elections,” he said.