Complaints are trailing the distribution of the Taximo vehicles to operators of Keke (Tricyclists) who have been asked to vacate the roads in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The complaints are coming from some non indigenes who applied for consideration in the distribution of the Taximo brand of vehicles the Imo State government is providing to operators. So far not less than 300 taxi Imo Cabs have been distributed.
Trumpeta gathered from some of the operators that an element of bias and marginalization has been introduced with the non indigenes in Imo State suffering denial.
Some of the Keke operators who are from Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers States accused those in charge of the distribution of the cars of showcasing favoritism. According to them, after paying the necessary pre-allocation amount totaling N17,000 to the ITC Manager of the Taximo, they were not considered for distribution because of their State of origin.
“I am from Cross River State. There are other people from my State and also those of Akwa Ibom who have been rejected and stopped from benefiting from the distribution. We paid N5,000 for certificate of Driving Form from the ITC and N500 for Drivers Booklet. And back to Heroes Square distribution point, we were asked to pay another N10,000 to obtain form and as part of our first installment of N1m. But when we picked the keys during the lottery, we were stopped from taking the vehicles away because of our state origin”, one of the victims who preferred anonymity added.
According to them, it was an alleged that it was the resolution of the state government to consider Imo State Indigenes first before non indigenes in the distribution. It was further revealed that during the first distribution, issues of the state of origin was de-emphasized which saw people from different states benefiting from the car loan they are expected to refund N1m. The policy prompted those from Imo State who failed to get to complain to the state government leading to the new policy of excluding non Indigenes efforts to speak to the Transport Commissioner proved abortive.
