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By John Ernest
The Commissioner for Transport and Petroleum Resources, Mr Orman Esin has promised Akwa Ibom State tricycle operators (keke) one week free tickets after 2018 Democracy day celebration in the state.
The Commissioner stated this last week in a meeting with the tricycle operators under the umbrella of Keke Owners and Riders Association of Akwa Ibom State (KORA) in Uyo. Mr. Esin who said that the one week free tickets will only be for those who will join him and other members of transport ministry to stadium to celebrate 2018 Democracy Day, however urged the operators of tricycle and the public to see keke operators as very important segment of the society who have contributed immensely to the economy of the state, noted that they would not drive tricycles forever.
On the issue of harassment by task force officials, the Transport Commissioner assured the operators of tricycle in the state to stop people including loaders (Akporo) and the State Traffic Wardens from harassing them. According to Commissioner Esin, anybody operating tricycle within Akwa Ibom State without registering with any of the tricycles union in the state is a criminal and should be reported to the police.
While reducing the monthly dues of KORA members to N50.00 a week and N200.00 in a month, he also advised the people to cultivate the habit of savings adding that it will help them in a rainy day. The Commissioner announced to the people that he has made arrangements with a bank to see how the tricycle operators through their unions can access loans.
Earlier in his address, the president of KORA, Comrade Jeremiah Eseme Jackson applauded the Commissioner and reaffirmed the union’s loyalty to the Commissioner. Mr Jackson commended Commissioner Orman Esin for bringing sanity to the Akwa Ibom State transport sector, stressing that all requests placed before the Commissioner had been taken care of. While recalling some of the commissioner’s achievements to be the reduction of fresh registration from N8,500.00 to N2,500.00, reduction of tricycles renewal from N4000.00 twice a year to N1,500.00, he added that Orman Esin has brought transformation of task force compliant/monitoring team with proper identification with uniforms against the former practice that brought confusion into the system.
Mr Jackson also recalled that it was the same Commissioner that yielded to the cry of entire tricycle operators in the state and also declared tickets free days such as: public holidays, Saturdays and Sundays, noting that the Commissioner also approved what they called, “total autonomy to all tricycles union in the state”. He maintained that the transport commissioner last year organized the first transporters end of the year get-together party where transporters won for themselves mini buses, plasma TV, Deep freezers, DVDs, one year free tickets to members etc.
While restating that the union KORA was a family that is united and strong toward dispensing welfare to all its members and their families. The KORA president explained that KORA riders as a matter of policy are trained by the National Human Rights Commission. Comrade Jeremiah called on the commissioner to intervene and also stop what they called, “incessant harassment” of tricycle operators in the state by state traffic wardens so that they can operate freely.
Also speaking, the Chairman and patron of the Transporters Wives Forum, Mrs Joy Orman Esin and Coordinator of forum in their separate speeches pleaded with the tricycle operators to encourage their wives to always come out for their meetings. According to them, the forum will help the wives of transporters to build their homes, community and society. High point of the gathering was the inauguration of Transporters Wives Forum by the Hon. Commissioner, Orman Esin.
