Repair Of Old Refineries, Remedy To Fuel Pump –Transporters, Others

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

Transporters, passengers and others warned that there would not be any remedy to the hike in pump price of fuel caused by subsidy removal, even the palliatives by the Federal Government unless old refineries were repaired.

Among those who sounded the note of warning included, the National President of Heavy Duty Truck Drivers Association, comrade Uche Rogers Nebuwa during the inaguration of Uzoeghelu Motor Park at Ugwunwasike/Nkwo Ogidi Market, Ogidi Idemili Local Government Area.

“Fuel hike is a very big problem to us, transporters, President Bola Tinubu would have consulted us before the removal of the fuel subsidy. No palliatives will solve this issue of hike in fuel pump price except the old refineries are repaired. The alleged distribution of solar lights as palliatives would not have any positive effect on Nigerians rather it will worsened the situation.

“They just introduced that to calm frayed nerves for now but it will not work as every body is crying and it has also caused more harm than good to the present socio-political and economic quagmire that we are trying to set ourselves free from,” he stated.

On the inauguration of the park he said that it was part of the State Government resolve to create decorum on the road, adding that no touts are tolerated in the park as it is meant for travellers within and outside the State.

“The park is built to modern taste with all facilities that include, Passengers’ sitting room, toilets, bath rooms, security tower, pipe bone water, among others. The owner of the private park, Chief Stephen Uzoeghelu Ibegbu, (Omeruora Ogidi), has done good to passengers within the environment who normally get to Upper Iweka and other far places to board vehicles for journeys,” he stated.

In his own contribution, the park owner, Chief Ibegbu, added that, “That fuel hike is a problem that we don’t know how to solve,” saying that it is an ill wind that blows nobody good.

“No uniform price for the pump price of fuel, Government should look into it because the people are suffering. If it continues in this way, the economy would be worse,” he posited.

On the park he said, “We hand it over to God. As my name applies, ‘Uzoeghelu,’ (door is open), whoever that comes here will have his door open for progress. Those who go to Upper Iweka to board vehicles will now be here for vehicles to their destinations.

“There is water-tight security in the park, with modern facilities that include, sitting/waiting rooms, toilets, bathrooms, security tower, water, light, among others, for the comfort of passengers and we have State Government approval/certificate to operate the park,” he maintained.

Also in his reaction, Chief Augustine Udeozor, zonal Chairman, Southeast National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, said, “The issue of hike in fuel has become a general disease that should be removed from top .

“It is a general disease that can only be cured by the Federal Government because the masses are suffering. Something should be done immediately to alleviate the suffering imposed on us in the name of making effort to rectify the socio-economic and political quagmire,” he fumed.

Commenting on the park he stated that, “We were invited by the national President, comrade Nebuwa, to also be part of the park for loading/off loading of goods/services, to and from Nsukka, Abakiliki, Lagos, Abuja, among others and a 12- man committee has been inaugurated as a result.

“So the inauguration of the park is not the issue but what one is capable of doing, how many vehicles you brought, how many passengers you attracted,” the NURTW boss posited.

Barr Charles Okosi, the park legal adviser, affirmed that, “With time, People will be used to the hardship caused by the hike on pump price of fuel,we are suffering, nobody is happy.

“With time people will be used to it, we know it is a problem for now and it is affecting every body. As a result the influx of passengers has reduced . Construction of more refineries is the way out,” he said.

Also on the park inauguration, he stated that passengers that come there will be protected, adding, “This park is meant for professionals not touts, it is registered and protected by the government.

“Governor Chukwuma Soludo is doing marvelously well and I believe he will continue, the Ekwulobia flyover being under construction is a sign that he will touch all the bad roads in the state before his tenure elapses, Anambra is trying in road network.

Earlier in his speech, comrade Obiegbu I. ikeobi, chairman, Njikoka Local Government Area Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, said that, “We inaugurate a very massive park, business will start in erness fully tomorrow, we load to Lagos, Abuja, Abia and others and we receive parcels too to anywhere.

“We do loading and off loading. The park is equipped with toilet, restaurant, car wash, whatever that can make a park unique are here. We close by 10pm for security reasons and start by 6am daily but can open our gate for our vehicles who return late hours,” he disclosed.

Hon. Mrs Oby Okoye, a chieftain of the park management said, “We plead for state government to provide security for us and also traffic warders that will control the outside park as it is very close to Nkwo market”, even as she lamented the hike on fuel and called for calm.