Tunji Adedeji
Commercial drivers in Owerri have called on Governor Emeka Ihedioha to come to their rescue and save them from activities of Imo Environmental Transformation Commission ENTRACO enforcement agents in the state.
The motorists, who staged a peaceful protest against what they described as illegal taxation of their members, also protested unauthorized arrest and extortion by ENTRACO agents.
Speaking to journalists in Owerri during the protest, Mr Christopher Iwunwa, spokesperson of the group who were mostly members of Taxi/Bus Imo Union, appealed to Gov. Ihedioha to quickly call the agents to order and stem the tide as it could dent the government’s image if nothing is done to control the situation.
Iwunwa also called on the governor to investigate the rising spate of arrests by some unidentified men in the state working under the guise of ENTRACO.
He called on the governor to give attention to the plight of commercial motorists in the state urging him to act quickly, because the situation does not speak well of him.
He further enjoined Gov Emeka Ihedioha , to be sympathetic to the plight of commercial motorists in the state, saying they have already payed a lot ; ranging from painting levy of N60 ,000 to daily ticket of N400 each.
In his reaction, the Director of Operations, Imo ENTRACO, Hon Udochukwu Anusiem said he thanked God for the development because it has exposed the nefarious activities of those who conduct themselves as Taskforce for BusImo and parades as Imo ENTRACO workers in the State.
He said “Imo ENTRACO has design a special means of identifying their staff and not interested in catching or arresting people. If an ENTRACO member comes to accost you, you will see a number in the front and back of his apron showing the person is an ENTRACO official”.
“What this means is that every ENTRACO officials is conscious of what he’s doing to the society and state because that number could be copied and send to the operation.”
“Right now ENTRACO is not taking any fee. We have sanitation levy of #100 in Imo and it has been on. We have never started taking any levy, we are new ENTRACO we just started cleaning the city. We are going to collect our sanitation levy but right now as am talking we have not started yet.”
He accused members of National Association of Road Transport Workers NARTW in the state of impersonating ENTRACO officials and arresting motorists, who are their union members, thereby dragging ENTRACO name to the mud.
Anusiem assured that the ENTRACO headed by Hon. Elex Emeziem and Operation headed by himself is representing a clean and sanitize ENTRACO for Imo citizens and have organized program for Imo people .
He eulogized the governor of Imo State, Gov. Emeka Ihedioha, describing him as a peaceful person who have been supporting them to clean up the state.
