Contrary to the sponsored protest, attack and blackmail of the Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum Resources, Rt. Hon. Orman Esin, by some disgruntle elements in the transport sector who maligned that the policies of the Commissioner is unfavourable and may lead to crisis arising from his inability to handle the sector properly, major Transport Stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State have condemned in very strong terms such slander.
Accordingly, Transport Stakeholders while putting the record straight said the current commissioner with his new policies has delivered them from age-long bondage, destitution and suffering which they were subjected to under the former Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Godwin Ntukude.
Our reporter who resolved to embark on an independent investigation to ascertain the truth on alleged lingering crisis in the transport sector under the watchful eyes of Rt. Hon. Orman Esin, gathered that major transport stakeholders ranging from ticket sellers, Keke riders and other umbrella unions are in full support of the State Government led by Governor udom Emmanuel, and the ministry of transport in particularly, headed by Rt. Hon. Orman Esin.
Speaking with our reporter at the former AKTC Park shortly after they were addressed by the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel at the Government House Uyo, the Chairman of Keke Ticket Sellers Association, Akwa Ibom State, Comrade Sunday Akpan, said they are in full support of Government’s programmes and policies, stressing sales of Keke Ticket is the responsibility of the State Ministry of Transport and petroleum Resources saddle with the task of regulating and strictly monitoring its operations.
According to the State Chairman of Ticket Sellers Association, Comrade Akpan, the current Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum, Rt. Hon. Orman Esin has delivered them from the bondage, caged, suffering and indeed privation of the erstwhile Commissioner in the Ministry of Transport, Mr. Godwin Ntukude.
He said “The Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel has done well for appointing Rt. Hon. Orman Esin as the Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum.
“Since from when he came on board we supported him because we seen him as somebody that will deliver us from the misery and hardship of the former commissioner, Mr. Godwin Ntukude. “We were caged and oppressed is such a manner that nothing good came to us, until Orman Esin came and recued us”.
While lamenting their ordeal in the hand of the former commissioner for transport, the leader of Keke Ticket Sellers Association disclosed further that despite their plead to Mr. Godwin Ntukude, to at least increase their commission per Keke ticket from N30, to N50 only, the former commissioner bluntly refused to grant their request, hinting that already, Rt. Hon. Orman Esin has promised to look favourably into their request with a view to meeting them at the point of their need.
He condemned the situation where Keke Ticket selling contract was given to Fingerprint Construction Limited which is supposed to be handling construction projects but was unfortunately given a life time contract of selling Keke ticket in Akwa Ibom state by the former Commissioner for Transport.
He questioned “why should Fingerprint Construction Limited which is supposed to be handling construction project ventured into selling of Keke ticket? The company should go and sell rice, magi and Garry since they feel that they can sell everything”.
Also speaking, the secretary of Akwa Ibom Progressive Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Association (APCOTMA), Elder Ubong Etim said they cannot support the wrong cause.
He said “a sitting commissioner and outgone commissioner are not the same. The current commissioner, Rt. Hon. Orman Esin waited for so long to address certain issues affecting the sector until recently that he decided to take the bull by the horns”. He stated that what the Commissioner did was just a prerogative or out of magnanimity and kind gesture to whoever was in charge of sales of Keke ticket in the state.
He commended the Ministry of Transport and Petroleum Resource Commissioner, Rt. Hon. Orman Esin, for dismantling the structure of the erstwhile commissioner, Mr. Godwin Ntukude, emphasizing that Esin needed to build his own structure and not to depend on the existing structure even as he disputed the action of the Commissioner in this regard as a step in the right direction.
Hear him “even a small child would not build on another man’s formation. “The so called protest against the current Commissioner is wrong, unfortunate and uncalled for because the man is doing what is right and if I were him, I would also do the same thing. We in APCOTMA are very much in support of Rt. Hon. Orman Esin and we cannot support the wrong cause”.
The APCOTMA’s Secretary while thanking the State Chief Executive, Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, for announcing Bus Insurance Scheme to Keke operators in the state, pledged the continuous loyalty of the association to the government and therefore called on all the stakeholders in the transport sector to support Governor Emmanuel and the commissioner Transport and Petroleum, Rt. Hon. Orman Esin to take the Ministry to greater height.
Meanwhile, the leadership of Tricycle Union of Nigeria (TUN), in a message of solidarity to the commissioner, jointly signed by its president, comrade Anthony Etuk and secretary, comrade Joseph Akpan poured encomiums on the commissioner for transport and petroleum Rt. Hon. Orman Esin for the recent dissolution of various tricycle management and enforcement committees and review of multiple levies.
The Tricycle Union of Nigeria said the huge efforts of Mr. Esin in repositioning the transport sector for good; especially the tricycle sub-sector is to ensure complete overhauling, effectiveness and sanitization of the system.
The union lauded the commissioner for his foresight and taking insightful step towards impacting mutual beneficial and sustainable reforms in the sector, stating that the present action by Government has wide ranging potentials of reorganizing tricycle management in the state, refocus it to meeting increased transparency, probity, proper accountability and greater efficiency with its present centralization for the purpose of achieving all-inclusiveness and implementation of shared values.
While promising continuous partnership with the commissioner by mobilizing its members to massively support the meaningful vision of the ministry to move the sector forward, TUN further pledged, its continued loyalty to Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration beyond 2019.
In a telephone chat with our reporter, the Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum Resources, Rt. Hon. Orman Esin said he is determined to transform the sector with the view to generate more revenue for the Government and ensure proper accountability.
According to the commissioner, the interest of Keke operators and indeed transport stakeholders in the State remains paramount in his scheme of things, disclosing that the present administration led by Governor Udom have lots of incentives in stock for transport stakeholders and indeed the people of Akwa Ibom State and it residents in general.
Esin pointed out that the current incentives like non buying of Keke ticket on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays is a clear testimony of the resolved of the State Government under the pragmatic leadership of Governor Udom Emmanuel to put smile on the faces of transport stakeholders in state.
The Commissioner added that the Bus Insurance Scheme recently announced by the Governor for Keke operators in the state is aimed at improving on the welfare and sustainable livelihood of the tricycle operators even as he drummed up supports from all the transport stakeholders for the Government to deliver life transforming programmes and inducements for the good of all and sundry in the state.
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