IMO VS ABIA*** Imo, Abia bicker over relocation of transport firm Imo, Abia bicker over relocation of transport firm on July 09, 2013 / in News 12:26 am / Comments BY ANAYO OKOLI UMUAHIA—THE face-off between Abia and Imo State governments escalated, Monday, as Imo indigenes allegedly blocked routes leading to the state and stopped Abia Lines Network vehicles from entering. Following the action of the indigenes, Abia State government, in a retaliatory move, banned Imo Transport Company, ITC, from loading in any part of Umuahia. Imo State government had last week relocated Abia Transport Company from its loading bay in Owerri without providing an alternative, citing the need to restore the city’s master plan as reason for the relocation. All vehicles in the fleet of Abia Transport were said to have stopped at Onu-Imo River, Obowo, boundary of the two states and were denied entry into Imo State. The irate Imo indigenes were said to be violent in their action as they asked Abia Line Network vehicles to return to Abia. However to prevent the situation from degenerating, soldiers were reportedly deployed to disperse the demonstrators and maintain peace. Chief of Staff to Abia State , Governor Theodore Orji, Mr. Cosmas Ndukwe, said in a statement that the loading bay of Imo Transport Company was shut down last Saturday, July 6, 2013. According to him, the closure of ITC business in the state was in response to the continued closure of Abia Line loading bay in Owerri without any recourse to the state government. He alleged that passionate appeals made to Imo State government to rescind its decision had fallen on deaf ears. Ndukwe also said security agencies had been mandated to impound ITC buses found operating in any part of Abia State. He said security agencies were further mandated to prosecute operators engaging in illegal loading bays any where in Abia State. To ensure compliance, the state government also warned landlords against giving out their property to Imo company for loading bays. The statement warned that any landlord found violating the directive would lose the certificate of occupancy of such property. Abia State Government had on Friday issued an ultimatum to its Imo counterpart, giving it till tomorrow, Tuesday, July 9, 2013, to provide alternative loading bay to its transport company or face retaliation.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 18:03:25 +0000
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