Anambra tricycle union trustees sack 3 principal officers over alleged N2.45m embezzlement

www.odogwublog.com reports that members of KKAWAAPU, the amalgamated tricycle union operators in Anambra state yesterday removed three principal officers.
The officers were removed by members of the Incorporated Board of Trustees of the union, over alleged embezzlement of their funds to the tune of N2.45 million.

But, the traditional ruler of Obosi community in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, Igwe Chidubem Iweka has wadded into the matter with a view to bring lasting solution to the crisis and reconciling the two factions.

KKAWAAPU is the amalgamation of operators of six tricycle unions in the state and by extension, the South East zone. The union so amalgamated included Keke Napep Owners/Operators Welfare Association of Anambra state, KNOOWAS; Keke Drivers Association of Anambra state, KEDAAS; Autobike Owners Welfare Association Nigeria, AOWAN; All Tricycles Owners/Operators Dealers of Anambra state, ATOODAS; All Tricycles Transporters Association Anambra state, ATTAAS and Public Tricycle Owners/Operators Association of South East, PUTOASE.

Chairman, BoT of KKAWAAPU, Dr. Jimmy Okonkwo and other members of the trustees had sacked the state chairman of KKAWAAPU, Anthony Ogalonye (a.k.a Montee) and replaced him with his Vice, Chief Pat Ezenwa; state secretary, Linus Ufoh and replaced him with his assistant, Innocent Obagha and the Welfare Officer, Tochukwu Anyaoku who is yet to be replaced.

But following a resistance from the sacked three principal officers, the  trustees headed to an Onitsha High Court presided over by Justice Alexander Okuma, and ratified their sack by obtaining an order of the court restraining them from receiving any money  and/or proceeds from the sale of the union tickets, toll and other levies for and /on behalf of the union, except through and/or from the financial secretary and treasurer, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

However, despite the court order, the three principal officers still continued to operate as officers, a situation which led to fracas and near bloodbath each day in their field of work, until the intervention of Igwe Iweka and summoning of both parties to his palace, yesterday.

At the Igwe's palace, both parties presented their grievances. While the trustees chairman, Jimmy Okonkwo and newly appointed state chairman, Ezenwa and his executive members said they sacked the three principal officers for embezzling their funds to the tune of N600,000, N850,000 and N1 million at various times, which they estimated at a total of N2.45 million, the embattled officers insisted they have state government's approval letter to remain at work.

In his remarks, Igwe Iweka urged both parties to submit all necessary documents backing them to the palace legal adviser to enable the legal adviser study them thoroughly, interpret the legal implications and advise him accordingly.

Asking both parties to come back to his palace on Tuesday, next week for more deliberations on the matter, the monarch assured both parties that he would not take side in his decision as whatever decision to be taken at the end of the deliberations must be seen to have been done without fear or favour.