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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State tricycle operators, under the name, Real Keke Operators Association (REKOAA), yesterday, held a peaceful protest over what they termed the unjust revocation of their Certificate of Approval and Operation by the state Ministry of Transport.
Speaking after its members marched round some major streets in the city in protest, Secretary of the union, Jude Michael, said sometime last year, the Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Isaac Chimezie Ukaegbu, revoked their certificate of operation without any reason.
Michael disclosed that the certificate was revoked despite the fact that the union paid all the necessary fees demanded by the government.
He said, “After working so hard during the last election for this present government to come in, they only paid us back by revoking our hard-earned certificate, for which we paid all the necessary fees they demanded.
“We have appealed to the state government on many occasions, but they paid deaf ears to our appeals, and we have no other choice than to let the world know our predicament.
“Up till now, the Abia State government has not told us why they revoked our certificate, and this is quite unfair. This crowd you see today is an affirmation that tricycle operators are demanding justice for REKOAA in Abia State”.
Michael stated that competition is always allowed in any business endeavour, adding that if the government took the decision to placate another union, they had succeeded in doing the wrong thing, and he promised that they will not back down until their certificate is restored.
