Posted by From NWABUEZE OKONKWO, Onitsha on
What could have degenerated into blood shed between members of Nigerian lorry Drivers Association (NILODA) and the task force on road decongestion popularly called Anambra State Traffic Agency (ASTA) in Onitsha Anambra State, was averted yesterday, following a timely intervention of the state Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Emeka Ojukwu (Jnr.).
What could have degenerated into blood shed between members of Nigerian lorry Drivers Association (NILODA) and the task force on road decongestion popularly called Anambra State Traffic Agency (ASTA) in Onitsha Anambra State, was averted yesterday, following a timely intervention of the state Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Emeka Ojukwu (Jnr.).
According to an eye-witness account, the crux of the matter was the alleged causing of obstreuction on public highway by a Mercedes Benz 911 lorry with registration No. Cross River State: AA 152 CHR, and the vehicle impounded by the ASTA operatives on Tuesday morning near the New Auto Spare Parts Market, Nkpor, near Onitsha, along the Enugu/Onitsha expressway.
The source stated that trouble started when the ASTA operatives impounded the lorry, allegedly removed the jack, battery, seats and N200,000 cash which the driver had arranged to deliver to the lorry owner. Along the line, the operatives allegedly broke the conductor's fore-head with a hard object before taking the lorry to ASTA office on Ogidi.
The source also stated that the trouble escalated when the lorry driver went to ASTA office to reclaim his vehicle and he was asked to pay N50,000 on top of the N200,000 earlier removed from the vehicle which the officials denied ever removing. To worsen the matter, the officials of NILODA who went to ASTA office to demand for seizure note were allegedly told to pay N500 to obtain the seizure note that contains the offences and fines of an offender.
The development led to a stalemate between the two groups as NILODA ordered all the lorry drivers within the vicinity to block the expressway from Tarzan junction to Lake Petrol Station from Tuesday to Wednesday afternoon which caused heavy traffic on the expressway and crippled business activities in the entire Onitsha business community.
The situation was brought under control with the intervention of the state Commissioner of Special Duties, Ojukwu (Jnr.) who paid an unscheduled visit to NILODA at their office at Nkpor.
Ojukwu whose office established and supervises ASTA, promised to pay the N200,000 allegedly stolen from the driver by the ASTA operatives during the contravention exercise, adding that he would gradually weed out all the bad elements in ASTA, to avoid causing problem for the state government.
The commissioner also pledged to re-organize certain operational guidelines that are anti-public and inimical to the smooth operations of ASTA.
Responding, the national executive members of ASTA, who expressed satisfaction with the commissioner's manner of approach, instantly directed their members to suspend the protests and open the expressway once more for traffic free flow.