NATIONAL UNION OF ROAD TRANSPORT WORKERS CRY OUT OVER THE NEW MANAGEMENT OF OKIGWE MOTOR PARK

NATIONAL UNION OF ROAD TRANSPORT WORKERS CRY OUT OVER THE NEW MANAGEMENT OF OKIGWE MOTOR PARK

David Maduako –Umuahia

Motor transport unions Okigwe Motor park branch Umuahia are currently in crisis over change of leadership of the motor park .

One of the unions ,The National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW in the park have expressed their displeasure over the change of Leadership of the park without due consultation with the unions .

Speaking to a cross section of the press recently in Umuahia , the Area Council Secretary of NURTW in Umuahia Comrade Uzoma who operates in Okigwe motor park Umuahia complained how they came to work one morning only to discover that a new management have been
imposed on them in the park .

On enquiry, the Leader of the new team one Comrade Victor Nwacham told them that he has bought the park from the Mayor of the LGA Council Chief Smart Iheoma more so that the local government Area Council Chairman Chief Ihuoma have ordered that funds raised in the park be brought to him .Comrade Igbokwe said they went to the LGA Chairman to confirm the true position of things , and the Chairman said he did not sale any motor park to any body neither did he order any one to bring any money to him , but since the year 2025 is almost coming to an end they should wait for the year to end, and come 2026 , the union shall once again resume their normal operations in the park .
Comrade Igbokwe said they had to obey the chairman for peace to reign .

Comrade Igbokwe stated that part of the reasons behind their visit to the Chairman was that the reign of Comrade Nwacham as Chairman of the park was high handed and not favourable to the union and the drivers . According to him no other vehicle is allowed to load passengers in the park till Comrade Nwacham finish loading his vehicles and those of his Cronies and this he said automatically made them redundant and unemployed . The situation he said was not savoury to them hence their rejection of the new government at the park.

He explained further that at the end of the year 2025 , they came to work on January 2026 only to see that Comrade Nwacham is still operating as Chairman of the park contrary to what the LGA Chairman told them .When they confronted Comrade Nwacham , it resulted to one of them Mr. Uchechukwu Nwokocha being beaten to coma and some of their members detained.

He stated that the state governor have earlier charged all motor unions in the state to maintain peace and order , so the union wish not to flout the order of the governor, by going into a fight with the Nwacham government in the park . He stated that NURTW is the only union empowered to be incharge in all motor parks in the state including Okigwe motor park Umuahia , so the Union wants their rightful place in Okigwe park Umuahia .

Comrade Igbokwe therefore called on the state governor Dr Alex Otti to come to their aid by intervening on the matter to restore normalcy to allow peace to reign .

Attempts made to see LGA Chairman Chief Smart Ihuoma and the Hon. Commissioner for Transport Dr .Isaac Ukaegbu proved abortive. But Comrade Nwacham when visited , denied all the allegations saying the park is at peace and all drivers load passengers turn by turn .
End .