PH Commuters Task NURTW On Relevance

A cross section of com
muters within Port Harcourt and its environs  have tasked the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to live up to expectation or lose its relevance.
The commuters in a random interview with our correspondent in Port Harcourt yesterday said it is now obrious that touts, otherwise called Agberos, are gradually taking over the activities of the union in most bus stops and motor parks.
They said the increasing number of these hoodlums if not checked would out shine and take over the job of the NURTW, which mostly had been to control vehicles at bus stops and ensure orderliness.
According to them, almost all the bus stops in Port Harcourt and its environs have been taken over by these touts, causing nuisance on the road and creating unnecessary gridlock.
The commuters complained that most times, they lose their luggage and money and are therefore calling on the Government and other relevant authorities to take appropriate actions to save them from such unfortunate situations.
A petty trader, Madam Sarah Beke, who narrated her ordeal said it was a terrible scene that as the driver and the so-called illegal taskforces were trying to settle their disagreement over sorting, they drove away the vehicle with her goods to an unknown destination, until some good Samaritans directed her to where she could find them.
“I ended up paying extra money  before my goods were released to me”, Mrs Beke said.
Another commuter, Daniel Ossai, said the increasing number of hoodlums on the road especially at bus stops is alarming that if nothing is done to ameliorate the situation, it could cause anarchy and embarrassment to the government.
Delight Komboye, who also barred his mind to The Tide correspondent remarked that soonest the work of NURTW would be taken over by these hoodlums and there might be a clash of superiority.
He appealed to government for urgent action.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Deputy State Chairman NURTW, Ominiayebagha Duma Kalango proved abortive as his telephone line could not go through as at the time of filling this report.