By Our Correspondent
A major crisis that threatened to degenerate into violence in Isuaniocha, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, was on Wednesday brought under control after the State Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Edward Obiefuna Ibuzor, personally intervened, even as the Chairman of Awka North Local Government Area, Hon. ThankGod Anago, was absent from the protest scene.
Hundreds of tricycle (Keke) operators had barricaded the Isuaniocha, Mgbakwu and Achalla roads in protest over the closure of their government-approved park at Isuaniocha Junction, accusing the council chairman of deploying operatives of the Agunechemba security outfit to eject them from the facility.
The aggrieved operators alleged that they were being compelled to relocate to another privately owned park, which they claimed was linked to the council chairman, despite the approval granted to the Isuaniocha Junction park by the Anambra State Ministry of Transport.
The protest brought vehicular movement in the area to a standstill, leaving commuters and motorists stranded as the riders accused the council boss of intimidation, harassment and abuse of power.
The protesters further alleged that Agunechemba operatives disrupted their operations, harassed riders and impounded several tricycles. They also claimed that while some operators allegedly paid money to recover their tricycles, others who refused had their ignition keys confiscated.
Upon receiving reports of the crisis, Commissioner Ibuzor immediately mobilised the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, his Senior Special Assistant and other ministry officials to the scene to assess the situation.
On arrival, the commissioner appealed to the protesting riders to reopen the blocked roads to enable him inspect both the approved park at Isuaniocha Junction and the alternative park along the Achalla Road.
After inspecting both locations, Ibuzor reaffirmed that the Isuaniocha Junction park had been duly approved by the Ministry of Transport and directed the tricycle operators to continue operating from the facility.
Describing the location as suitable for use, the commissioner also directed the owner to immediately fence the premises and commence full operations.
“This place is suitable for a park. You should fence it immediately and commence operations,” Ibuzor said.
Sources disclosed that a day before the protest, the commissioner had directed the Awka North chairman to reopen the approved park and invited him to Awka to discuss any reservations he had regarding the approval.
However, instead of complying with the directive, the chairman allegedly redeployed Agunechemba operatives to prevent the riders from operating from the approved park.
Our correspondent gathered that although Anago had earlier visited the commissioner’s office, he did not accompany the commissioner to Isuaniocha during the intervention.
It was further learnt that the Agunechemba operatives withdrew from the area as the protesting riders mobilised in large numbers.
When contacted earlier, Anago insisted that the park was not an approved facility.
Even after being informed that the Ministry of Transport had issued an official approval letter, the council chairman reportedly dismissed the document as fake, insisting that the ministry could not approve a park within Awka North Local Government Area without notifying his administration.
“Awka North is not a banana republic where anything goes,” the chairman was quoted as saying.
