Drivers, keke riders back Mbah’s transport reforms

By Mohammed Wakil

Commercial drivers and tricycle operators in Enugu State have dismissed reports that the temporary disruption around the Ogbete Main Market axis was a protest against alleged high taxation and rising fuel prices.
The operators said the incident was instead triggered by disagreements over enforcement and the allocation of loading spaces at designated transport terminals.
The operators, under the aegis of various unions, also expressed support for the ongoing efforts of the Enugu State Government to decongest major roads and relocate commercial vehicles from roadside loading points to designated terminals.
They spoke during a meeting between the Managing Director of Enugu East Zone Terminals, Dr John Egbo, government officials and representatives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and the Tricycle Operators of Nigeria, Enugu State chapter.
Speaking at the meeting, the NURTW representative for the Obiagu and New Haven branches, Comrade Obi Okonkwo, said the disruption was linked to the mode of enforcement by the task force implementing the government’s directive to move commercial vehicles from the roads into designated parks.
According to him, some operators had not been shown their assigned spaces within the terminals before enforcement commenced.
Okonkwo said the union had no objection to the government’s decongestion policy, stressing that the major concern of the operators was to be properly carried along in its implementation.
He urged members of the public to disregard narratives suggesting that transport operators were opposed to the state government’s transport reforms.
Also speaking, Comrade Chinonso Michael, who represented operators on the Obiagu-New Market route, attributed the misunderstanding to inadequate communication between the enforcement team and the operators.
“Right from time, we were not against the decision to move us from roadsides inside the terminals. We just wanted to be carried along by the enforcement team,” he said.
For the national representative of the union in the state, Comrade Achi Ikechukwu, the disruption could have been avoided if the directive had been properly communicated to the affected operators.
Ikechukwu said the union was ready to partner with the terminal management to ensure that its members complied with the government’s directive.
He consequently appealed for the establishment of a committee comprising representatives of the unions and terminal management to bridge communication gaps and facilitate the smooth relocation of operators from roadside loading points into the terminals.
Similarly, Chairman of the Tricycle Operators of Nigeria in the state, Comrade Kingsley Edeh, rejected the claim that the incident was motivated by opposition to taxation.
Edeh said his members had continued to pay their levies, adding that the immediate issue was the need for proper allocation of suitable loading spaces within the terminals.
He called for sustained dialogue between the terminal management and the unions, particularly on the allocation of spaces to operators.
While commending the government’s decision to establish the terminals, Edeh said the initiative addressed longstanding challenges associated with traffic congestion and roadside transportation activities.
He assured that his members would cooperate with the government to ensure the successful implementation of the policy.
Responding, the Managing Director of Enugu East Zone Terminals, Dr John Egbo, assured the unions of the management’s cooperation and support.
Egbo said the terminals were conceived as a modern transport infrastructure initiative aimed at addressing persistent traffic congestion around major commercial centres in Enugu metropolis.
He subsequently led the commercial drivers and tricycle operators to their allocated loading spaces within the terminals.
According to him, the facilities were designed to serve the interests of both transport operators and commuters by reducing roadside congestion, improving traffic flow and creating a more organised transportation environment.
Egbo said the terminals would also contribute to improved commercial activities and investment around the affected areas.
He commended the state government for investing in the transport interchange and broader road and infrastructure reforms, saying the facilities would contribute to restoring order around major commercial corridors in the metropolis.
The Commissioner for Transport, Dr Obi Ozor, who was on a routine inspection of the facility, also commended the terminal management for the organisation and maintenance of the terminals.
Ozor said the government established the facilities to tackle longstanding traffic gridlock around Ogbete Main Market, Old Park and other major commercial areas of the city.
He added that the initiative was also aimed at improving security, regulating commercial transportation and creating a more organised metropolitan environment.
Addressing the issue of taxation, the commissioner said the state government had introduced reforms aimed at reducing the burden associated with revenue collection and eliminating leakages and corrupt practices in the process.
He said revenue generated by the state was being deployed to fund infrastructure and other development projects across the state.
Ozor urged transport operators and other stakeholders to take collective ownership of the terminals, stressing that their sustainability depended on the cooperation of all users.
He appealed to the unions to continue engaging the government through dialogue whenever challenges arose during the implementation of the transport reforms.
The meeting ended with the allocation of additional loading spaces to affected operators and assurances by both the government and transport unions of continued collaboration towards ensuring a seamless transition into the designated terminals.