By Ohanece Casca.
There was drama at the Emmanuel College junction Owerri last week when the convoy some of the number 2 citizen of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso ran into operative of the Imo State Transport Management Agency IMSTMA. In the argument that ensued, the Deputy Governor who was said to have called the operative unprintable names questioned why they were extorting money ranging from N10, from members of the public into private pockets in the name of revenue drive thereby tarnishing government image. According to one of the operatives of IMSTMA who spoke to Trumpeta on condition of anonymity he disclosed that the Deputy Governor warned the IMSTMA operatives to stop operations as their actions are illegal.
It was also reported that when the operatives of IMSTMA drew that attention of their General Manager, Emeka Obidigbo, on their encounter with the number 2 citizen, the GM berated the Deputy Governor for querying IMSTMA modus operandi and wondered why the D. Gov should challenge the interest of the Governor. The GM who has been described as erratic by IMSTMA operatives threatened that they will deal with the Number 2 Citizen at the appropriate time.
Outside the conflict between IMSTMA and the Deputy Governor, the operatives of IMSTMA have decried the happening in the agency. They noted that they are now been seen as public enemies by the public as public enemies who accuse them of extorting money from motorist to enrich few government officials. Some of the operatives who spoke to Trumeta said that they want IMSTMA to pay them off their salary as they are tired of working for an agency that is founded on deceit. They said that it was regrettable that the speaker of IMHA and Menbers hurriedly signed IMSTMA into law without due process hence they call for the immediate proscription of the outfit which now serves the interest of some legislatures and has turned extortion outfit for the management.
They dissatisfied operatives recounted that they were warned by the management not to stop government officials or law enforcement personnel even when they break the rules.
The wondered why the management always abandon them when they have issue with the public but still want them to bring in revenue. They frowned at the management referring the operatives as one way boys. The operatives asked the governor of Imo State to over haul the agency and desist from using it for settlement of his Orlu brothers nothing that the GM Emeka Obidigbo from Ideato South who has answer, drug charges abroad has no business being in charge of IMSTMA.
Meanwhile you will recall that some operatives of IMSTMA were suspended early this year of which the Chairman Chief Don Onwukaike claimed were operational schedule of sending the affected operatives to the LGA. We can authoritatively confirm that those suspended staff of IMSTMA has finally been laid off.
