…Urges Governor Wike to call Taskforce officials to order or face statewide Strike.
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Commuters in Port Harcourt are groaning as the peaceful protest by taxi drivers and bus owners against alleged harassment by Rivers State government Task force on Street Trading, illegal Market and illegal Motorparks entered the second day on Tuesday.
Commuters mostly affected are those plying the Rumuola-Mgbuoba-Choba route.
The protest by the drivers is over the enforcement of the directive that they should drop off their passengers at a designated motorpark in Rumuola by the Taskforce officials.
However, the drivers are insisting that the new designated park is too far from the popular terminal point at Rumuola junction for commuters and motorists.
They are also alleging that members of the task force inflicted physical assault, willfully vandalise their vehicles with the use of dangerous weapons like cutlass, axe and wooden sticks during the enforcement of the parking order.
But the Chairman of the Taskforce, Bright Amaewhule, denied the claims of the commercial vehicle drivers while insisting that his men will continue enforcement of government’s directive to clear public places of illegal motor parks, street trading and illegal markets.
However, Lekia Isaac, the Spokesman of Commercial drivers in Rivers State has threatened that members of the union may embark on statewide strike to draw the attention of Governor Nyesom Wike to inhuman treatment and obnoxious policy of the Taskforce officials.