Committee of Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) has sent a letter of l protest and appeal to the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, over the bill giving to one of its members by the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority to pay N850,000 to a private firm, Reliable Auto Services.
COMTUA also took exception to the unruly behaviour of the chairman of the agency.
The association wondered why a government agency would fine and direct that the money be paid to a private account instead of the agency’s account or state government’s account.
A letter written to the governor and signed by the President of the association, Comrade Adeyinka Aroyewun, expressed the gratitude of the association to the governor on the removal of its member’s container that blocked the road around Challenge in Ibadan and added that it’s a further prove of his administration’s promptness to resolve issues around safety of lives and properties.
The association, however regretted any embarrassment the accident that resulted in the abandonment of the container on the side of the road might have caused the government and good people of the state.
It claimed prompt response to the accident by visiting the scene to ensure safety of lives and property, joining agencies of government, mainly Police and FRSC and paying equipment operators ( crane, Hiab loader and towing van) to remove the truck and container from the road. “We could not completely evacuate the container due to equipment scarcity within the state.
The DPO of Felele Police Station and the Unit Commander of the FRSC, Toll gate Unit, Lagos-Ibadan express road, were professional in their conducts by ensuring that lives and properties were properly protected.
“The container would NOT have stayed beyond the same day but for logistics challenges,” the association claimed.
COMTUA pleaded with his excellency to consider the release of the said truck and container; which is currently in the custody of the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority.
COMTUA said it wrote the letter after approaching the agency which gave “a bill of Eight hundred and fifty Thousand Naira (#850,000), payable to a Zenith Bank Account Number number 1016751601, whose beneficiary is RELIABLE AUTO SERVICES instead of the Agency or State government account.”
The association noted that it was concerned by this and sent a delegation led by The President of the association to meet with the Chairman.
According to the letter: “Our purpose of the visit was to express our gratitude and solidarity to the government of Oyo State through the agency, plead for a waiver on the said fine and seek clarification on the account.
“We were disturbed by the level of misrepresentation of your government the chairman demonstrated.
“Apart from being unprofessional, he did not hide his inferriority complex towards LASTMA, when he realised we came from Lagos.
“This was noted without stress when he kept referring to the agency in every of his statement, comparing structures and operation mode instead of addressing the issue.
“We were humiliated in the presence of his female friends in the office.
“We were threatened to be beaten by hoodlums and he eventually abandoned our delegation to play Table Tennis within the complex.
“We were abandoned for several hours before we left the premises without achieving any meaningful results.
“He was extreme boastful and willing to take laws into his hands simply because he claim to report directly to the governor.
“He advised us to go to court and emphasised his influence on the judiciary.
“We do pray that you look into our appeal and also consider calling the concerned officer to order in the interest of the image of your administration.
“Such character does not fit the respect and popularity your administration commands,” the association noted.