C’River exempts women, elderly drivers from vehicle registration, levies

In a sweeping policy intervention aimed at easing the economic burden on vulnerable citizens, the Cross River State Government has officially exempted female commercial drivers and elderly motorists from paying vehicle registration fees and daily operational levies across the state.

The directive, which aligns with Governor Bassey Otu’s "People First" governance agenda and the administration's promised "Season of Sweetness," marks a dramatic structural shift in how the state regulates its booming commercial transport sector.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the newly minted regulatory roadmap emerging from Calabar.

Announcing the enforcement guidelines during a crucial stakeholder strategy meeting with the transport unions in the Calabar metropolis and the Southern Senatorial District, Chief Oliver Orok, Chairman of the Cross River State Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA), outlined the exact boundaries of the exemptions.

The state has drawn explicit demographic lines for the financial relief program:

*Female Commercial Drivers:* Any woman operating a commercial vehicle (taxis, mini-buses, or tricycles) within Cross River State is granted 100% free vehicle registration and is completely absolved from purchasing daily operational toll tickets.
*Elderly Motorists (Aged 60 and Above):* Senior citizens who own their vehicles and choose to drive commercially are similarly exempted from all state registration costs and daily operational levies.

"Women who are into this driving business will not pay for registration of their vehicle and will not pay daily operational levies. The operation is free for them. Men above 60 years of age, who own their vehicle and wish to drive commercially, are also exempted."
*Chief Oliver Orok, Chairman, CTRA*

The demographic tax exemptions are part of a larger, systemic overhaul intended to stabilize the local economy and protect transporters from extortion and aggressive enforcement on the highway.

The state government has concurrently rolled out several major policy rollbacks:

| Reform Target | Previous Structure | New Policy Directive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| *Daily Bus Tickets* | ₦850 daily fee | Slashed down to *₦500* |
| *Weekend Operations* | Standard daily ticketing charges | *Free operations** for mini-buses and tricycles on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays |
| *Traffic Offenses* | 35 enforceable road violations | Pruned drastically to just *4 core offenses* (Overloading, no seatbelts, failure to buy tickets, and failure to register) |
| *Tricycle Curfew* | Flexible hours | *Strict 6:00 PM curfew*; night operations remain permanently banned |

Additionally, the state is wrapping up negotiations on an official insurance scheme designed to provide compensation to the families of registered commercial drivers in the event of an on-the-job death.

While the state is offering unprecedented carrots to vulnerable drivers, it is also readying a massive stick for those operating outside the legal framework.

The CTRA decried the chaotic look of the capital's streets, specifically pointing to improper vehicle painting, unauthorized association stickers, and illegal commercial operations. The state has demanded that all commercial operators adopt Cross River's official regulatory colors for uniformity.

To ensure these rules take root, the CTRA announced that a *special joint enforcement exercise*, backed directly by state security agencies, will commence on *August 1*. The crackdown will aggressively target drivers who refuse to register their vehicles, as well as rogue union officials who have been caught actively encouraging drivers to boycott buying state tickets—a trend that has severely bled government revenues.

### The Bottom Line

Governor Otu's administration is attempting a delicate balancing act: providing strong social cushions for elderly and female workers strained by macroeconomic pressures, while simultaneously tightening the screws on unregulated transit operators. Transporters have a tight window to get their vehicles properly painted, registered, and compliant before security forces hit the gantries at the start of the month.