Members of the Delta state Directorate of Transport taskforce, have purportedly bounced on commercial drivers and their passengers over refusal to comply with the N100 Passengers Welfare Scheme, a policy of the Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration.
It was gathered that the taskforce members came out in their large numbers and allegedly intimidated, harassed and forcefully impounded vehicles belonging to a popular transport company in the state, demanding the sum of N100 per passenger from the drivers.
One of the drivers who was molested and beaten for not providing the said amount per passenger narrated his ordeal in the hands of the transport taskforce.
Said he: “I was on my way to Ughelli with seven passengers from the park, but when I got to Immigration junction, I saw a crowd of youths with sticks and clubs, flagging me down, I have to stop. They requested for my manifest which I gave to them, but they said the company manifest is useless that it must be the state government’s manifest.
“Then, I told them that I won’t be the one to come to their office to collect manifest and if there should be anything of such, it must be their officials that will serve it to my company, but not me. Before I knew it, they started dragging my passengers down, and gave me a number of random slaps before forcefully taking my vehicle away to Oshimili south local government Secretariat”.
A passenger who also narrated her ordeal questioned why she should pay an extra fare to the government.
She said; “The way and manner they stopped the vehicle is even enough to call them thieves” alleging that the taskforce are in the company police escorted.
Another commercial driver whose vehicle was also impounded, said that it was not the duty of the driver to task their passengers, arguing that if the state government want to collect N100 from each passenger, it should come from them but not from the drivers or the motor parks.
One of the parks visited in Asaba, the manager who does not want his name in print, displayed a flyer allegedly sent from the Directorate of Transport.
The flyer reads in part’ “Delta State Government, Passenger Welfare Scheme. All motor park operators in the state must ensure that all passengers traveling with their vehicles are insured on their trips. Failure to comply will attract fines for both passengers and park owners. In case of accident, the inured or dead passengers would be compensated by the scheme accordingly”.
The manager noted that implementation of such demands would be difficult for them as park owners, as they cannot convinced passengers to pay extra N100 when traveling after their normal fare.
“Those proposing such laws or making such demands should come to the park, talk to the passengers themselves and possibly live their officials on ground for such collection, he suggested, pointing out that the state government would have create much awareness and sensitization before coming out to enforce the law.
Some passengers who spoke, lamented the imposition, noting that the state government cannot force such obnoxious and exploitative law on them.
A lawyer who was on transit via the harassed vehicle, upheld that on no account should the state governor approve such a thing considering the harsh economy faced by citizens, expressing worries over the transparent management of funds realized from the scheme, saying that the policy is dead on arrival as Deltans will definitely revolt against it.
All efforts made to speak with one of the taskforce members proved abortive as he threatened to attack journalist.
It was gathered that the sum of N20, 000 was paid by the owner of the impounded vehicles before they were allowed to continue their journey.
Contacted, the Commissioner for information,.Mr. Charles Aniagwu, said: “I Will have to find out. I don’t have that information. I will have to find out about their operation”, he said.
