OMODU Tipper, Truck Operators advocate government partnership

Piqued by the seeming neglect and marginalization, the newly inaugurated Oron, Mbo, Okobo, Udung Uko and Urue Offong / Oruko Tipper and Truck owner association has solicited meaningful, beneficial, rewarding and sustained partnership as well as commensurate patronage for both Local, State and Federal Government.

Led by the National President, Prince Henry Effiong Okon and Comrade Ita Omunam as National Secretary, the new but vibrant body posited in their inaugural address that the multiplier and economic effect to the society and general public can never be ignored nor over-emphasized, maintaining that each tipper or truck on operation at any given point in time provides source of livelihood to six or more dependant of the worker.

According to OMODU, which the group disclosed is the acronym for Oron, Mbo, Okobo, Udung Uko, and Urue Offong / Oruko Tipper and Truck Operators of Nigeria Association and duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission by the Board of Trustees, has been rightly position on a commendable platform to articulate their aspirations, agitate and seek redress for common interest of the officially registered members of the organization.

While frowning seriously over the contemptuous attitude of some major contractors handling projects in Oro Nation in failure to fully and holistically imbibing the much orchestrated “local content” policy of the government, OMODU appealed passionately to the Akwa Ibom State Government as well as NDDC in checking the excesses of such defaulting contractors.

While felicitating with the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel on his eventful two years in office, the body referred pathetically to a situation where some contractors executing contracts in Oro Nation would rather “import” sand, gravels; granite, chipping and even water from neighbouring States and Local Government Areas, thereby frustrating the OMODU tipper and truck operators from the five local government areas of Oron Federal Constituency from earning their legitimate and decent fall-outs in the trade and urged the government to act fast and reverse the ugly trend.

OMODU confirmed that the operators of the tipper and truck business have in their work-force over 3,000 workers including motor owners, contractors, drivers, office assistants, sand and gravel excavators, as well as buckets of borrow-pits and depots littered across the five local government areas of Oro Nation, including sand depot at Enin Ufot and Etim Inyang beaches of Oron LGA, soft and sharp sand depot at Enwang and Ibaka in Mbo LGA, sand depot in Ebighi-eta, Utinke Nduong respectively, while Uruting and Atiabang all in Okobo LGA have abundant sand depots too. In Udung-Uko the group confirmed that Usung and Eniongo beaches boasts of dumps for dredging, even as Urue Offong / Oruko has borrow-pits, for laterite / sand / gravel depots at Umume and Oyoku Ibighi.

Among other pressing requests from the state government, the body advocates inclusion in the bus/taxi scheme, grading of roads leading to and out of their business sites in the LGA, commencement of the on-going drainage system in Oron town from Uya-Oro aimed at complimenting the Oron urbanization process, and most important strict application and observance of local content policy.

In his contribution, the State Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum Matters, Mr. Orman Esin remarked that if entrepreneurs in Oron Nation had in past taken the bull by the horns as OMODY has done, developmental pace in the area could have been unprecedented.

Mr. Esin who was represented by one of his senior aides commended the giant strides taken by the group and gave assurance that he would identify with the aspirations and yearnings of OMODU.

Also speaking a prominent daughter of Oro Nation and former Minister, Dr (Mrs) Akon Eyakenyi who had “Archbishop” Anietie Okon standing in for her promised to channel the requests of the body to appropriate government agencies for prompt action.

Other officers of OMODU sworn-in by a legal luminary, Barr Richard Ekung Bassey includd Mr. Emmanuel Bassey Edet, Vice President I, Mr. Ini Efiong Eneyo, Vice President II, Mr. Micah John Bassey, Asst. Secretary, Mr. Asukwo Nduonyi, Treasurer, Mr. Edet Nduonyi, Financial Secretary, Mr. Samuel Efiong Ekeng, Welfare Officer, Mr. Joe Amba, Publicity Secretary, Mr. Moses Okon Inwang, Provost and Madam Ekpoanwan Edet, Woman Leader.

Also present at the epoch-making and grandeur event which attracted sister transport association, Timber and Market group leaders were Hon. Asukwo Edet Ating, Chairman Board of Trustees, representative of the Village Head of Iquita Offong Etim J. Obiosio – Chief Edet Owoebiak, and Akwa Ibom State Chairman of League of Veteran Journalist / Media Consultant, Chief Emmanuel Esifa among others.