.....Asks Soludo to call Mr.Okwudili Okafor, Bishop Elochukwu to order
Concerned Nnewi Drivers on the Nnewi, Ihiala route has called on the Anambra state government to come to their aid, over the double taxation, intimidation and extortion by Mr. Okwudili Okafor and one Elochukwu otherwise known as bishop, whom they said has made doing business on that route unbearable for them, because of the taxes they are collecting from them which is beyond what the government of the state stipulates.
In an exclusive chat with our correspondent in Nnewi, Anambra state, the concerned driver's led by Mr. Maxwell Onyeka said that Mr. Okwudili Okafor and Mr. Elochukwu has really made life unbearable for the drivers on that route, as it's always fighting galore on a daily basis. He said " it's unfortunate that after working for the whole day, they go back home empty, because of this extortion and intimidation, because what we pay on the route is much. The most annoying part is that drivers on this route are being caged and forced to brand their buses with Ezeagu stickers while their buses don't belong to Ezeagu Motors owned by Mr Okwudili Okafor and managed by Mr. Elochukwu, a situation we have vehemently refused to adhere to, which is also causing problems between the drivers and the management of Ezeagu Park."
Mr. Onyeka further lamented that the agreement which they reached with them was to be paying the normal government levy which they pay to the government of Anambra state and 10% on each trip, but it's unfortunate he said that they are being forced to pay over 20% on each trip and also made to pay what they termed runout, which the drivers said is strange to them. He also stated that the duo load on the road as against government directives.
He said that the drivers on this route do not have any issues with anyone, as they are just asking that they should be allowed to do their business without intimidation and molestation as they are being currently subjected to by Mr. Elochukwu. They therefore called on the government of Anambra state to look into the matter and find a way to address it before it snowballs into violence, as the drivers on that route are already getting feed up with the situation at hand and would not want to take laws into their hands, because they are law abiding citizens. They stressed that their plead is to foreclose the eruption of violence in Nnewi which may throw the government of Anambra state in bad light as they are bent on working for the good of the masses in the state.
They stressed that they remember that Mr. Okwudili Okafor cautioned the said Bishop to abide by the rules of engagement as spelt out by the government in Akwa, but the said Elochukwu Bishop, said that he will teach the driver's a lesson and this may possibly be what he is doing now, they said.
Most of the drivers interviewed stressed that the intimidation has gone up their sleeves and may resort to self help if the ministry of transportation or the government of Anambra state does not look into the matter urgently, in a bid to call to order Mr. Elochukwu Bishop, who the said has deployed touts who are making life unbearable to them.