By: Imo Thomas -Umuahia.
The leadership of the Abia State Tricycles Operators Union (ASTOPU) has given free fuel palliative to tricycle operators in some parts of Aba, the Enyimba city, in celebration of the road infrastructural strides of Governor Alex Otti.
Flagging off the exercise, on Wednesday at Aba, the Abia State Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu, stressed the importance of commercial transport operators, saying that without a seamless transport system, the state would be underdeveloped and described the operators as partners in progress.
He urged them to pay their taxes and levies regularly to help the state serve them better as well as keep complying with the traffic rules and regulations guiding transportation in Abia state.
Dr. Ukaegbu assured of government commitment to protecting the operators and ensuring their complaints are taken care of, adding that no one would exploit them.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transportation, Dr. Obioma Nwaogbe stated that transport is the gateway to development and called on try cyclists to work together with the Governor for the development of Abia state
He said that the government is supporting the free distribution of fuel because the union is a union that oversees all the activities of tricycle operation in the state.
“We are supporting the activity because the union is a union that oversees all the activities of tricycle operation in the state.
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of Abia State Tricycles Operators Union (ASTOPU), Mr. Victor Azubuike, said they were moved to share the fuel in celebration of what Governor Alex Otti has been doing for the try cyclists and Abians at large, adding that the roads fixed by the Governor have made their businesses easy.
“Before now, we always go to the mechanic for one thing or the other because of the bad network. But as I’m telling you today, we move everywhere freely, no potholes, Our machines are okay.
“We only go to the mechanic to change the oil and all these minor things, unlike before.
“We are happy. In fact, our hearts are full of joy because of all the things His Excellency has done, the ones he has done here in Aba. We, the transporters, are the first beneficiaries of it.
In their reactions, some of the tricycle operators and beneficiaries of the free PMS, including Mr. Kingsley Nwachukwu and Mr.
Akachi Orji expressed deep appreciation to the leadership of the union and Abia State government for relieving them of the challenge of PMS as they seek to make ends meet.