Bike riders rubbish Presidential Decree

Commercial motor bike riders in Kumba, Meme Southwest Region have vowed to disregard a Presidential Ordinance of July 7, 2014, instituting changes in global tax and park fee.

The Ordinance signed in response to the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products has since sparked confusion among Council authorities and the association of bike riders in Kumba.

On Friday October 3, 2014, some100 angry commercial bike riders stormed the office of the Meme Senior Divisional Officer in protest over multiple check points for the global tax, the non issuance of receipts for taxes paid and the institution of a park fee in line with the Presidential Ordinance.

Sitting in session Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at the Kumba II Council Chambers to deliberate on the changes alongside the Councilors, leaders of the various bike associations accepted the changes brought about by the Presidential Decree but remained at variance with the park fee, which they said was unknown to them.

The President of the Kumba II Bike Riders Association, Henry Kiwongheh told the Second Assistant SDO, Nelson Gamsi Yongkuma that, his peers took to the SDO’s cabinet owing to the implementation of a park fee which is new to them.

The President stated that there was no problem with regards to global tax.

Joseph Njam, Meme Divisional President of the bike riders insisted during the session that, the park fee be erased because it has never existed in Kumba. He averred that, some of the riders took to the streets because it was only in Kumba II that the park fee was being implemented. Njam lamented that despite being the preserve of the City Council, the riders do not benefit anything, even in terms of bike identification or donation of jackets.

The Chief of Taxation Meme, Nititop Ntemfack said that, it was a move to sustain the Cameroonian economy from the challenges of the increase in the prices of petroleum.

Nititop said that, according to Section C 114 of the General Tax Code, the park fee is the preserve of the City Council while Sub-divisional Councils are entitled to the global tax.

The taxman urged the bike riders to respect the Ordinance, arguing that the money helps the Councils to carry out their projects. He said the Councils are bound to implement, while riders are bound to pay because Biya signed the order going by the powers vested on him by the Constitution of Cameroon.

To Mayor Martin Forcha, the issue is non negotiable, given that it is an order from the Head of State, which must be respected all over the country. Forcha regretted that his Council had gone into the preserve of the City Council by collecting park fees, which almost sent the bike riders to the streets.

Former Mayor Ferdinand Asapngu questioned who ordered the collection of such taxes and where the money collected has been kept.

The Second Assistant SDO who sat through the deliberations assured that, the situation will be reported to the SDO David Koulbout Aman for further action to be taken and which action could include a commission of inquiry.

Most of the bike riders left the meeting, swearing to wage a war against any park fees.