ATTENTION!!!
FALSE REPORT/FAKE NEWS BEING CIRCULATED ON FACEBOOK AND WHATSAPP ON ALLEGED SETTLEMENT OF MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN TIPPER DRIVERS IN ANAMBRA STATE AND THE OFFICIALS OF THE ANAMBRA STATE GOVERNMENT: A REBUTTAL
Our attention has been drawn to a certain report being circulated on social media by somebody describing himself as “Chidiebere Obika. Awka” some days ago, wherein it was stated that the Anambra State Commissioner for Transport has finally settled to dispute between the tipper drivers in Anambra State and the State Government over issues of revenue collection, etc.
We use this medium to vehemently deny that report and to set the records straight on the true and correct position.
Recently, there have been series of protests by various tipper drivers in Awka and environs against the unfair, illegal and fraudulent practices been perpetrated by some government agents and revenue collectors claiming to be working for the State Government. These protests were embarked upon to demand for adherence to due process and rule of law, in order to avoid chaos and a breakdown of law and order in Anambra State.
In June 2018, the tipper drivers had obtained a final judgment of the Federal High Court sitting at Awka, against the Anambra State Government, in Suit Number FHC/AWK/CS/104/2017. In that final judgment, an order of perpetual injunction was made restraining the collecting of any money, tax, levy, toll, revenue, due or fee on sand, stone, laterite, gravel and the like, etc. from tipper drivers and tipper operators in Anambra State; on grounds that there was no legislation authorizing same, and that the matters were on the Exclusive Legislative List.
In spite of that final judgment, government agents and collectors still continued to intimidate and collect the sum of N700.00 for each trip of sand, stone, laterite and the like, to the tune of N30,000,000.00 every month from tipper drivers and operators in Anambra State, in total disregard for the said decision of the law court.
The tipper drivers in the State saw this continuous collection of these monies as amounting to contempt of court, a gross disregard for the rule of law and adherence to due process, and an act of forcible extortion being committed against them within the State. On that note, these tipper drivers’ unions stopped paying these extorted monies on 1st April 2019; and demanded that the said sums of N30,000,000.00 earlier collected monthly from them, from July 2018 to February 2019, be refunded to them and their various unions immediately, with 26% interest on same too. They further threatened to report the Government of Anambra State and its officials to the law court for contempt and criminal prosecution, if their requests were not met, and if the acts of forcible collection and extortion of these illegal monies from tipper drivers in Anambra State did not stop.
After that demand, the officials of the Anambra State Government, led by the Secretary to the State Government invited representatives of the tipper drivers’ unions for meetings on the dispute. Subsequently, the tipper drivers’ unions in the State volunteered to be donating at least Ten Million Naira every month, to the Anambra State Government as part of their *Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)*, while also promising to assist with their tipper lorries during the monthly sanitation exercises in the State.
The officials of the Government promised to get back to the tipper drivers and their leaders. What later happened, however, was that the officials bypassed them, and went ahead to appoint a new revenue collector, while threatening to resume collection of these outlawed levies and tolls. It was for these reasons that tipper drivers got aggrieved and alarmed, and proceeded on a public demonstration within Awka and environs, some days ago.
After that demonstration, some representatives of the tipper drivers’ unions, led by Comrade Emmanuel Ezeokafor and others, met (on invitation) with the Hon. Commissioner for Transport, to discuss on how to resolve the dispute. After several hours, the meeting was subsequently adjourned for further discussions. What was later noticed, rather surprisingly and shockingly, was the fake social media reports that the matter has been finally settled and that Comrade Emmanuel Ezeokafor was also part of the said settlement!
We wish to point out here that this is not a politically-motivated matter sponsored by any unnamed disgruntled revenue agent. Nobody was sponsored with any ten litres of diesel to embark on the peaceful demontrations in Awka recently. This is a matter having to do with a standing final judgment of a competent court of law, outlawing the illegal collection of levies and tolls from Anambra State-based tipper drivers, and declaring same to be unlawful and criminal. In that regard, the tipper drivers have resolved to resist all forms of intimidating and bullying with fake news reports, until and unless the final judgment as made by the law court is adhered to.
Finally, we wish to point it out here that tipper drivers in Anambra State are not at war with the Anambra State Government. While we continue to fervently support to lofty goals and objectives of the Governor Willie Obiano-led administration, we only demand that all forms of illegality against tipper drivers should stop forthwith.
Thank you very much.
Signed:
Comrade Emmanuel Ezeokafor,
Barrister N. B. Gbarade,
(For and On Behalf of Members and Leaders of the Anambra State Tipper Drivers and Owners’ Welfare Union, Anambra State)
28th July, 2019
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