By Okechukwu Obeta
People of Ayamelum local government area of Anambra state have urged the out-going state governor, Chief Willie Obiano to approve measures that would reduce transportation fares to their area as a parting gift to them.
A cross section of people from communities in the area, including Anaku, Omor, Ifiteagwari, Igbakwu, Umueje, Umuerum, Umumbo and Omasi staged a protest at Anaku yesterday, Monday, 14th March, 2022, complaining against exorbitant transport fares they are paying from Awkuzu in Oyi local government area to their area which they claimed is between N800 and N1,000.
The protesters made up of youths and the elderly particularly blamed the outgoing Commissioner for transport, Chief Afam Mbanefo and his Trade and Commerce counterpart, Chief Uchenna Okafor for their woes, alleging that the duo refused to grant operational licence to a private transport operator to operate a motor park at Awkuzu where he charges only N400 to destinations government approved motor park at the same Awkuzu charge between N800 !d N1,000.
Some of the aggrieved persons among the protesters, Tochukwu Ofozuba, Sunday Okafor and Anyanwu Ekene complained that after selling their agricultural produce in the cities, their people normally spent larger amount of the money from sales on transportation.
“The owner of Omambala Line has built a motor park at Awkuzu, and, he is charging our people only N400 but we pay N800 and N1,000 in Awkuzu motor park where the state government people are selling ticket to drivers”, Okafor complained.
“We are begging His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano, Akpokuedike to, please give Omambala Line licence to open his motor park at Awkuzu as a parting gift to us before handing over tomorrow to Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo”, Ekene pleaded in his own reaction.
Chief Obiano will on Thursday, 17th March, 2022, hand over to former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo to succeed him.
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