Drivers In Anambra Decry Poor Treatment In Spite Generating N61b annually
Drivers attached to the Transport Company of Anambra State ( TRACAS) Drivers have protested alleged maltreatment by the company management in spite generating about N61 billions for the state government every year.
The drivers said this when the held a peaceful protest at the Anambra Government House, Awka on Friday.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr Okwudiri Okonkwo, the Vice President of Highway TRACAS Drivers said the protest was to draw the attention of Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to the alleged injustice mated to them by the management of the company.
Okonkwo said TRACAS Management had come up with multiple levies aimed at stifling them.
He said the company management ordered them to pay N45,000 for installation of tracker devices in their private cars in order to monitor their movements.
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He said though drivers had agreed to install the devices, they were insisting that the company should pay for the installation with a written undertaking that TRACAS would pay for damage to their vehicles but management refused.
“We are doing the protest to get the attention of the governor to the bad treatment being mated to us management of TRACAS despite our contribution to the economy of Anambra State.
“At a stage, the Chairman ,Anambra State House committee on transport intervened and just after three days they asked for enforcement, they stopped us on the highway and collected N85,000 for the trackers and renewal permit as a fine.
“We are crying to the governor to intervene and save us from intimidation,harassment and extortion by TRACAS,” he said.
He said the drivers were fully in support of Soludo’s policies and his developmental programmes but the management of TRACAS was sabotaging his efforts.
Mr .Benjamin Ogbonnaya, Secretary of TRACAS Drivers said the management was not fair to them as partners in the business and appealed to Soludo to come for their rescue.
According to Ogbonnaya, the current management of TRACAS is not doing well. In 2019 they forced us to pay N29,000 for the speed limit till today they have not installed any, now, they want to force us again to pay N45,000.
“We are not against the tracking devices but they must pay for them and sign an agreement that anything that happens to our vehicles on the highway, they must take full responsibility,” he said.
Prof Solo Chukwulobelu , Secretary to Anambra Government who addressed the protesting drivers commended them for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves.
Chukwulobelu, who promised to relay their complaints to the governor, assured that within a week they would get a response.
He also promises to speak to the management of TRACAS to step down the enforcement pending the resolution of the crisis.
Meanwhile MrChike Obiako, the Managing Director of TRACAS said they had the options to obey the policy of the company or leave,
According to him, the drivers normally load their vehicles privately without coming to TRACAS parks to pay their loading fee.
“We are trying to install trackers to monitor their movement because they are not paying their loading fees in our parks.
“We have even stationed dome people on highways to check if they pay at parks and we are paying heavily for their actions” he said.
