By CHINYERE Nnaemeka
The Commissioner for Transport in Imo State, Hon. Dr. Chika Abazu has assured the State Chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, of being solidly behind them in ensuring that the transport sector thrives.
Abazu also lauded the Chairman of the Union, Hon. Amb. Samuel Udeh, FCAI, JP, PhD, averring that he has done noble in dignifying the image of the union from being envisaged as “Agboros to now an organized union”
The Commissioner made the postulation on Thursday when he, the Permanent Secretary and other heads of the Ministry of Transport honoured the invitation of the NURTW Boss, to be present for their monthly State Executive Council meeting held at the union’s Secretariat in Owerri the state capital.
Speaking earlier, the NURTW Chairman, popularly addressed as Ezeumuokorobia, expressed joy over the presence of the Commissioner and his team, saying, “It was an honor to have them respond to their call.”
Udeh reflecting on the state of the union, pointed out, “I am always dispirited when bad things (people engaging in Pick Pockets, One Chance Drivers, Organ Harvesters) eventuates, and our drivers are being held culpable for it.
“This has propelled the union to resort to inaugurating a team tagged, “the Special Branch of the union; Chief Princewill Ezewuihe as Chairman, Comr Kelechi Abazu – Secretary, Chief Vitalis Onugha, Comr Maxwell Udeh, Dcn Paul Ajunwa as members, to aid our security conscious Governor in fighting and combating crime in the state.
“Their work will be to fish out drivers in the state who hide under the umbrella of NURTW to perpetrate crime, especially those affiliates and franchise with description of NURTW on their buses.
“They will also ensure that any registered driver with the NURTW inscription on his car will not be extorted in any way, ‘Udeh asserted’
He therefore urged the executives of the union branches to extend the new development to their drivers and also direct them to be on the look out for all those crime perpetrators, and not hesitate to expose them to the Special Branch, averring that he does not want to hear that any member of the union is associated with such ungodly act of being a “one chance driver or an organ harvester”.
The Chairman further urged them to always acquaint their drivers with how pertinent it is for them to be duly registered and have their papers complete so as to enjoy such benefits of not being unnecessarily harassed on the road.
Udeh who in the same vein brought to the knowledge of the Commissioner the complaints of the drivers over how they are being extorted with numerous tickets to purchase, pleaded with him, to wade into the matter such as drivers being forced to pay N22,000 for obstruction which according to him, is outrageous perceiving the economy of the country.
Udeh who seizes every opportunity to acclaim Governor Hope Uzodimma, said to the Commissioner, ” His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of the State loves us so much that he appointed about 20 of us as GLOs, gave us five slots to travel to Isreal for pilgrimage, constructed durable roads for us, and now we no longer suffer working on our vehicles everyday due to bad roads.
“We are reiterating that we are his structure and we want to him to know that we will continue to be his structure come rain, come shine’, Udeh declared.
In response, the Commissioner, Hon. Dr. Chika Abazu, also expressed satisfaction over how the NURTW Chairman, ‘showed capacity’ by being able to respond speedily to an impromptu invitation he sent to him, by gathering en masse members of the union at the airport to receive the governor.
Describing the act as a true definition of ‘capacity and efficiency’, Abazu stated, “we are ready to work with the union, make your problem our problem, and we will begin with providing you all an enabling environment to thrive, with first and foremost doing everything humanly possible to move your Secretariat to a permanent site that will be more conducive for your meetings.
“My late father, Simeon Abazu was a dedicated member of the union, and so I am a product of the union, and knows it’s import.
Also, it is the desire of our governor to make certain that the transport sector advances in the state, which is why he moved me from being Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, and Investment to this current portfolio.
“The challenge of transport sector is enormous because the prospect is bright, and I know we will get there once we are working in tandem to achieve such as it takes two to tangle,’ Abazu affirmed’.
Avowing that he has come to bring sanity into the system, the commissioner further assured the union of delving into their complaints and setting a seal on it.
High point of the meeting, was the members of the union supporting a minister of God, and a member of their union (Secretary of a branch), by raising the sum of N200,000 to aid him replace his damaged mega phone, which the Commissioner also keyed into.
Also, as part of their normal benevolence gestures, the sum of N300,000 was also handed over to the family of the union’s former branch Chairman for Ideato North LGA, late Comr. Daniel Okeke who died and was buried recently.
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