BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
The government of Ebonyi State, Wednesday, sealed all privately owned motor parks operating in the state, as part of efforts to get commercial vehicles to use the motor parks built by the government.
Ebonyi State Commissioner for Capital City and Urban Development, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, alleged during a telephone interview with The Point that the transport companies refused to make use of government designated parks in the state despite a written notice issued to them six months ago, hence the sealing of their premises.
However, commuters, transport workers, and transportation firms have been expressing shock at what they termed “sudden turn of events”.
The Point reports that a taskforce team led by the Commissioner ordered them to relocate to the new Central Park at the front of Ochudo Centenary State Secretariat, along Abakaliki/Ogoja express way.
Unsuspecting passengers who trouped out to board vehicles to various destinations were seen stranded, and looking confused. The task force stormed the various motor parks, in the morning, disembarking passengers from vehicles, with drivers’ immediate reaction being to flee with their vehicles to avoid damage from the taskforce.
Some passengers, who spoke to The Point, including Davis Golig, Uche Ekoh and Joy Ndubuisi condemned the action of the taskforce which they claimed threw them into fears amidst intimidation.
They urged the state government to consider the interest of the masses on the relocation of the motor parks, because development would always be a continual process.
Similarly, some drivers opined that the move would be additional hardship to them at this critical moment. They lamented that relocating to a place where “there was yet to be road, house, security and other facilities might not be in the best interest of all stakeholders.”
Manager, Enugu North Local Government Mass Transit, Abakaliki Branch, Emeka Ikwuakolam, expressed surprise at what he termed “unprovoked attack on their businesses,” because they had started complying to the directives by making payments even with government yet to make the proposed Central Park habitable for humans.
Ikwuakolam said, “The closure is as a result of wicked people in government. They actually said we should move to the Central Park, which other states have tried and it didn’t work out.
“We agreed with Ebonyi State government. They said we should buy form at seventy thousand naira, which we have all done.
“They insisted that each square meter would be allocated to us at the Central Park at the rate of ten thousand naira, which means that for one plot it would be six million naira, we also agreed.
“Some of us have even started paying. Even on Friday we had a meeting with the Commissioner for Parks and Markets Development. We are not against government we are already paying.
“All of a sudden my very self I went to Enugu to come back this morning and hear that they are sealing our parks, damaging and ceasing our vehicles.
“We have gone to the Commissioner for Parks, Pastor Nwachukwu, to know what brought about the ugly development but he was not on seat, so we are still calm waiting.
“They have damaged many of our vehicles. I am wondering why they should destroy our means of income even when we have started complying to their directives.
“They are heartless people. I don’t owe anybody apology. I don’t know what they expect from us because if you go to the proposed Central Park site it is still busy, nothing has been put in place there. It is still occupied by overgrown grasses. If anybody tells you that the site is cleared know that the person is the greatest liar of the century.
“There is too much disturbances to our business in recent time. We just came out from effects of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, followed by ENDSARS protests, every Monday sit-at-home order and now government order of moving to central Park.
“Ebonyi State government should consider all these. Nothing have been done at the proposed park. No access road. We are not animals that stay in the bush, please.
“I assure you with this in human treatment, the state government will lose revenue because by forcing us out of business, who will pay them revenue?
“The state’s internally generated revenue will fall drastically. If this continues that means no vehicle will come into the state and no one will leave.
“Well, we are waiting to hear from the Commissioner. His reaction will determine our next line of action,” the Manager lamented.
