Cleric Urges RSG To Check Touting

A stakeholder on road transport business, Pastor Kola Omisakin, has called on the Rivers State Government and other relevant authorities to check the menace of touts otherwise called ‘Agberos’ at motor parks and bus stops in Rivers State.

Pastor Omisakin made the call at an in-house meeting attended by Executives and members of National Union of Road transport Workers (NURTW), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) of NUPENG, Zonal Controller, Zone 4 of Rivers State Road Traffic Management Agency (TIMARIV), National Union of Petroleum and Natural gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Rivers State Command, held at the NURTW Secretariat, Old Aba Road, Port Harcourt last Friday.

He reiterated that touts are not members of the National Road Transport Workers Union and that efforts should be made by the authorities to raid them off the road for the safety and security of motorists especially commercial drivers and commuters.

According to him, it is an eye-sore that some non-TIMARIV officials now also parade themselves as task force members, thereby compounding things for road transport business family, saying “they are spoiling the name of TIMARIV”.

Pastor Omisakin, who is also the State Assistant Secretary of NURTW, also frowned at the fees charged by TIMARIV against traffic offenders, stressing that it is exorbitant as most offenders pay through their nose.

The Stakeholder also condemned the harassment of drivers by the Ministry of Urban Development in the state, and harped that let them confirm themselves with the duties of illegal street trading and stalls on our roads.

He said there should be absolute respect of law and order, so that visitors to the State would regard Rivers State as the most friendly and peaceful state in the country.

In his speech, the Chairman of PCRC, Port Harcourt Area Command, Mr. Godfrey Agorom expressed satisfaction that the purpose of the meeting has started yielding result and assured that it would soon be a fall house meeting where all authorities in road transport sector would be involved.

Let us work together and santitize the society and our roads, Mr. Agorom said, and further called on the Police to arrest all those fakes who parade themselves as TIMARIV officers.

Collins Barasimeye