In what could be described as a cry of help, Executive members of the Imo Pilots Transport Association, IMPTA, have called on Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha to quickly intervene in the face off between the Union and the Imo State Commissioner for Transport, Chief Lasbrey Okaforanyanwu, over the control of the state-owned Teximo.
In an emotion laden voice, secretary of IMPTA, Comrade Basil Emeana told journalists at their office in Heroes Square Concorde Avenue that Okaforanyanwu has been threatening to deal with them if they continue to lay claim to the Taximo. According to him, the Commissioner has made good his threat by floating an illegal union operating in the premises of Imo Transport Corporation where he Okaforanyanwu is the General Manager.
Emeana said apart from unlawful extortion of their members, the Commissioner has perfected some, irregularities by hijacking the allocation of the Taximo which was a promise to Keke operators by Governor Okorocha.
Threatening to further expose the Commissioner, Comrade Emeana disclosed that the commissioner put in place an illegal task force who harass and intimidate their members by forcefully arresting and humiliating them saying most of their members now live in fear of Okaforanyanwu’ s hatchet men.
Also speaking, President of IMPTA, Comrade Nnamdi Okorie alleged that members of his executive have gone into hiding as a result of threats which they received from Okaforanyanwu. ^
Okorie further disclosed that the commissioner had gone further by sending their names to the State Police Command on alleged instruction by the Governor wondering when and how the governor who is the founder and mentor of IMPTA can issue such instruction to arrest IMPTA members.
Okorie accused the commissioner of disobeying all the directives of the governor concerning apprehended Keke operators which the governor has given directives to release but are still been held by Okaforanyanwu.
He further accused the commissioner of name dropping of the governor and the Chief of Staff, Ugwumba Uche blwosu who he said cannot do any evil on Keke operators.
The IMPTA boss called on the governor to look into the issue and call Okaforanyanwu to order saying if the commissioner continues his threat, the Union will fight back. “Already, we are organizing to embark on a peaceful protest against Okaforanyanwu. He compares himself to the governor. What rightly belongs to us, he has hijacked it. Our members are been harassed and humiliated— by his illegal taskforce operating in the premises of ITC. If he forces us, we will expose all his shady dealings and withdraw our members from the taxi scheme. I plead with my governor to call him to order before things gets out of hand. A word is enough for the wise” Okorie said.
