The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) has called on the governments of Imo and Abia States to end the rift between the two states and reopen each other’s loading bays in their respective states in the interest of Nigerians that patronize their services.
In a statement signed by the chairman of the Aba Unit, Dr. Charles Chinekezi and made available to 247ureports.com, CLO condemned the existing feud between the two transport companies, warning that the matter if allowed to continue could have disastrous consequences in the relationship between the two states.
“What is the essence of Abia State and Imo State transport companies closing each others’ loading bays? What does that say about people who run these governments? Imo and Abia are two sister states, there should be no basis for this conflict.
“The two transport companies are rendering services to the people. The services are not even enough, yet they are quarreling over nothing. They should remember that private sector operators are involved by supplying more fleets and bus services in order to help them boost their transport services. Have they considered the interest of these private operators and that of their employees?”
The group lamented that the weeklong disputes going on between two states which have enjoyed mutual relationship as sister states in the past has been allowed to degenerate to a dangerous extent. Does it show that the two governments lacked the capacity to resolve their disagreement quietly or what?
“It is because this is government business and nobody wants to take responsibility in the matter even if government loses money, it is not the workers’ or the political appointees that are losing money that is why they are trying to flex irresponsible muscles.
“There should be no discrimination between Imo and Abia state. The two states are just
like one because, Abia was just created out of the old Imo State. People of the two states intermarry and do a lot of things together .They should think about the feelings of the Nigeria public who are benefitting from the services they render than this unnecessary bickering.”
A visit to the Imo Transport loading bay along Factory road, Aba revealed that the place has since been shut down and was marked, “Sealed by Committee for Restoration of Aba Master Plan.”
Commuters to some far flung areas in Imo state who patronize Imo Transport buses have been lamenting the situation, pleading the two state governments to resolve the conflict and reopen for businesses.
Both Imo and Abia state governments seems to be flexing muscle on efforts to undo each other as there are no signs that the rift would be settled soon.
It would be recalled that the Abia state government had a week ago ordered the closure of all loading bays operated by the Imo Transport Company in all parts of the state as a retaliatory measure to the action of its Imo counterpart in shutting down Abia Line Network transport loading bay in Owerri.
