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Steve Agbota
Truck owners have debunked the allegation of gratification that was leveled against the Presidential Task Team on Apapa Gridlock and the team’s head of Enforcement; Commissioner of Police; Hakeem Odumosu.
In separate interviews with journalists, notable truck owners and members of some truck owners’ associations debunked the allegations. They said that the people behind the allegations were not happy because the task team had put them out of business of touting.
The truck owners who spoke to journalists yesterday in Lagos challenged the accusers to come out to substantiate the allegations.
Their defence also coincided with the reactions of the Chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Apapa Gridlock, Mr Kayode Opeifa, who also waved the allegation off. He described as a case of corruption fighting back.
The Vice president of Corporate Fleet Truck Owners Association; Mr Leye Thompson, described the allegation as emanating from those who were behind the old system of colluding with bodies that were previously in charge of traffic control into and out of Apapa, and who were benefitting from the old practice and the abuses.
He wondered why “one or two persons sit somewhere and contort an allegation of graft against a body whose work we all see every day, we feel the impact of the task team”.
According to him, “the Presidential Task Team has put them out of business and that is why they are fighting back. The task team does or its personnel does not demand or accept bribe from any one.”
