Three motorcyclists arrested for protesting in Uyo
by Etim Ekpimah
Three commercial motorcyclists were on Tuesday arrested by the police for protesting the non-payment of the money promised them by the Akwa Ibom State Government.
Members of the state Commercial Motorcyclists Union had trooped out to protest the non-payment of the N1bn promised them by the state government for the motorcyclists to get off the road.
The motorcyclists were advancing towards the Governor’s Lodge in Uyo when three of their colleagues were arrested.
Their Chairman, Mr. Samuel Peter, said Governor Godswill Akpabio had always kept promises made to the union wondering why this was an exception.
Peter blamed the Personal Assistant to the Governor on Commercial Motorcyclists, Mr.Udo Okpo, for the delay, saying he might have collected the money without informing the union.
He said, “The money is with Okpo. He cannot tell us that he has not collected this money from the government. Our governor has never promised to do something and failed. Even if he is offended, he may delay for a while but he will definitely do it.
“Tell Okpo to give us our money. We are not joking. Life has been rough with us since we were asked not to ply Uyo routes any longer.”
But Okpo denied receiving any money from the government on behalf of the union.
“I did not collect any money from the government. We have not even discussed the matter. If the money had been given to me, I would have given it to their chairman for distribution. It’s a blatant lie,” he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Etim Dickson, confirmed that there was a protest but said he was not aware that some motorcyclists were arrested.
He said, “The commercial motorcyclists actually protested. Protest is not the best way to get ones’s demands. The process might be hijacked by hoodlums. I am not aware of any arrest of the protesters.
by Etim Ekpimah
Three commercial motorcyclists were on Tuesday arrested by the police for protesting the non-payment of the money promised them by the Akwa Ibom State Government.
Members of the state Commercial Motorcyclists Union had trooped out to protest the non-payment of the N1bn promised them by the state government for the motorcyclists to get off the road.
The motorcyclists were advancing towards the Governor’s Lodge in Uyo when three of their colleagues were arrested.
Their Chairman, Mr. Samuel Peter, said Governor Godswill Akpabio had always kept promises made to the union wondering why this was an exception.
Peter blamed the Personal Assistant to the Governor on Commercial Motorcyclists, Mr.Udo Okpo, for the delay, saying he might have collected the money without informing the union.
He said, “The money is with Okpo. He cannot tell us that he has not collected this money from the government. Our governor has never promised to do something and failed. Even if he is offended, he may delay for a while but he will definitely do it.
“Tell Okpo to give us our money. We are not joking. Life has been rough with us since we were asked not to ply Uyo routes any longer.”
But Okpo denied receiving any money from the government on behalf of the union.
“I did not collect any money from the government. We have not even discussed the matter. If the money had been given to me, I would have given it to their chairman for distribution. It’s a blatant lie,” he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Etim Dickson, confirmed that there was a protest but said he was not aware that some motorcyclists were arrested.
He said, “The commercial motorcyclists actually protested. Protest is not the best way to get ones’s demands. The process might be hijacked by hoodlums. I am not aware of any arrest of the protesters.
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