Imo Govt Orders Immediate Release Of  Impounded Trucks, As Drivers Block Major Roads In Protest

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Imo State Government has assured truck drivers that it will commence  investigations into  allegations of extortion and harassments against them by some Government officials.

The State authorities, also, on Thursday, August 15, 2024, ordered the immediate  release of all impounded trucks to their owners.

Bar, Nnamdi Anyaehie, the Chief of Staff to Governor Hope  Uzodinma  who gave the order spoke while addressing protesting truck drivers in Owerri, the State capital.

He noted that the State Government will not support any move by its officials to extort, victimize and/or harass innocent and law abiding citizens  under any guise

Under the aegis of Trailer Drivers Association, the protesting truck drivers on Thursday caused heavy traffic gridlock in the state capital, following their decision to block the ever busy Owerri/Port Harcourt road and Owerri/Onitsha road.

The aggrieved truck drivers said their action was to protest against incessant harassment, extortion,and victimization by officials of the Imo State Taskforce on Illegal Parks.

The Track Drivers Union complained that so many of its members’ vehicles were impounded by officials of the Taskforce under, mostly, flimsy excuses.

The body specifically accused the Head of the Taskforce, Frank Onwumere, and his men of being behind their ordeals.

The truck drivers lamented that for four months running, Onwumere, who is also the Special Adviser to the Governor on  Illegal Parks, impounded and continued to keep their members vehicles off the road.

Spokesperson for the protesting truck drivers, Monday Ossai, while addressing the Media, said they decided to block the busy roads, so as to draw the attention of the State Government to their plight.

He noted that the drivers are convinced that the State Governor may not be aware of the anti-people posturing and conducts of the Onwumere led Taskforce.

“Truck drivers are not happy. Hon Frank Onwumere and his boys do not want to allow us to operate freely on the roads in Imo state day and night.

“The action that mostly affected us was the impounding of our members’ vehicles by the Taskforce for four months now.

“Onwumere and his boys are also demanding the sum of N250,000 from us, in addition to clearance papers on road worthiness for our vehicles.

“Onwumere insisted that we must pay N250,000 before our impounded vehicles are released to us,claiming that Lagos and Rivers State collect as much as N350,000 to release impounded  vehicles” he stated

In all, the protesting drivers called on Governor Uzodinma to quickly dispense with the services of Onwumere, as his actions are attracting bad image to the State Government.

“We know that Governor Hope Uzodinma actually mean well for the people and may not be aware of the attitude of Onwumere and his boys.

“They are tarnishing the good name of the Governor, and we believe that the only way out is for him ( Onwumere ) to be sacked.” Ossai further stated .

But Onwumere has rejected the truck drivers allegations, insisting that his actions are in consonance with the mandate given to the taskforce

The Governor’s aide maintained that the primary assignment of the Taskforce on illegal parks is to ensure a reign of sanity and free flow of vehicular traffic on the State roads .

He regretted that the truck drivers have developed the penchant for flouting even simple traffic rules that are meant to keep the roads safe for all users.