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From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The Chairman, Keke Drivers Welfare, Onitsha, Anambra State, Chief Arunsi Igbaniuka and his members have commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his courage to sack touts from Anambra State.
In a Thanksgiving Mass at St Lwanga Catholic Church, Onitsha the group said that the Governor Soludo’s decision to stop touting was in line with its policy as a group that Keke operators should not pay money to touts instead of straight to Government coffers.
The group said it had engaged in the struggle for a long time assisted by the police with some court cases until the election of Prof Soludo as Governor.
“We are elated that our God-sent Governor has made it categorically clear that there will be no more touting in any part of Anambra State.
“Touts have caused countless harm on the people and economy of Anambra State. Many people have lost their lives, some sustained various degrees of injuries in the hands of touts, while some have lost huge sums of cash and valuable to these soulless people.
“The activities of these vampires have impacted negatively on the economic activities of the State particularly Onitsha and its environs as most people have refused to come to Onitsha to avoid being hounded by these touts.
“Our Keke drivers, some of whom are on hire purchase have been subjected to untold hardship. Some were made to pay over N2,000.00 per a day by these hoodlums. Those who tried to resist them were inflicted with serious injuries.
“But thank God who has sent the messiah through Prof. Soludo. Although, some of the touts have refused to obey Governor Soludo’s order, forcing some of our members to pay illegal revenue, we are convinced that it is only Governor Soludo who has the political will to sanitise Anambra State of these touts by bringing their activities to an end, ” the group said.
The group pledged its support and loyalty to the Governor in his bid to sanitise Anambra State, stating its resolve to work with him in all his programmes especially the flushing out of touts.
The group asked for the Governor’s support and approval to carry out its programmes including organizing seminars or workshops for its members to lecture them on safety driving as well as on the need to resist the use of their Keke for criminal activities.
The group also asked for the formal permission to start its work of monitoring and enforcing zero touting in Anambra State, saying that the group hoped that the Governor would not hesitate to grant its request.
