Anambra: Unions demand sacking of touts

Transporters in Anambra State under the aegis of Joint Transporters Forum have urged the Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, to review the state revenue policy and disengage “touts” from collecting revenue in the state.

The JTF is made up of six unions which are Heavy Duty Union, Tipper Union, United Mini Trucks, Shuttle Bus Union, Taxi Union, Tricycle Union and Okada Union.

Speaking during a joint meeting under its leadership as led by Prince Moses Ohanebo, in Onitsha, on Friday, the claimed that seven of its members had so far been killed in different parts of the state by touts and other agents who collect revenue on behalf of the state government.

Ohanebo, flanked by other members of the group, while addressing journalists shortly after the joint meeting, said its members were fast abandoning transport business because of the “barbaric” activities of the revenue collectors in the state.

He, therefore, pleaded with the governor to consider their plight by giving them the opportunity to collect the revenues among themselves and remit it daily.

He added that the “barbaric” methods the revenue agents deployed in the process of collecting revenue from its members had caused series of accidents on the road which led to loss of lives.

In his speech, the Coordinator of Keke riders and Assistant Secretary of Joint Transporters Forum, Mr Innocent Obaya, lamented that, “these touts have been so much empowered that they go about with Anambra State Vigilante Group, Ocha Brigade operatives and policemen.” Punch