Physically-challenged persons block Imo Govt House

By Angela Nkwo-Akpolu (Owerri)
Scores of physically-challenged persons in Imo State under the umbrella of Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities on Wednesday stormed the Imo State Government House, Owerri, to protest the alleged victimisation and extortion.
They accused the Ministry for Transport of ripping off commercial drivers of the association who ply the different routes in the state capital.
The protesters, who clutched placards with different inscriptions, demanded to see Governor Rochas Okorocha or his Chief of Staff, Chief Uche Nwosu.
The associationa��s South East Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Ikechukwu Ukaegbu, accused the ministry of extortion.
According to him, while the ministry collects N60,000 for the painting of each cab and bus with the official colour and N45,000 for tracking of the same vehicle, only N20,000 was written on the receipt.
He explained that the association decided to resist the extortion by seeing the governor or his chief of staff, even as he demanded that the government should allow them paint their cabs by themselves since they know the approved colour.
Ukaegbu said: “We have come to complain to the governor or his chief of staff. The amount is expensive and we can no longer afford it. They collect N60,000 for painting each taxi with the official commercial colour and N45,000 for tracking. But why acknowledge only N20,000 on the receipt issued? It is totally wrong and unacceptable. The price is very expensive and we cannot afford it. We will not be a part of this stealing.”
Efforts by the Commissioner for Transport, Lasbery Okafor-Anyanwu, to address the protesters were rebuffed, as they insisted on seeing the governor or the chief of staff.
The commissioner however said that the allegations were untrue.
He said: “The official rate for painting of a cab and its tracking is N60,000 and not the over N100,000, as the protesters alleged. It is not true that my ministry collects N60,000 for painting and N45,000 for tracking of each car and gives a receipt of N20,000.The official amount for both painting and tracking is N60,000.”