RTEAN battle ready to assist Anambra recover, increase revenues — Chairman

In this interview with OKECHUKWU ONUEGBU, the state operational chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of NIGERIA (RTEAN), Architect Okonkwo Chukwuka Williams, gives insights into how his association would assist the state government to increase its local revenue, if given the opportunity. 

What is RTEAN noted for?

Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) is empowered by the constitution of the country, not Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). We are the real employers of all transport workers in Nigeria. We oversee workers under the transportation sector. We are number three association under the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC). For Anambra state, the association has been in existence for long but not recognised by the past administration due to some interests working against it. We are trying our possible best to change the transport sector in Anambra state since assumption of the current administration in office. Every member of the union is happy because before now, no one knows anything about the association, but now, we are having series of meetings with the government. We have met with the state government, the governor, the commissioner for transport and rest of others in this state. We are trying our best to see that there is improvement in the transport sector in the state especially in line with Governor Charles Soludo’s policy with regards to touts elimination from motor park  and the streamlining of revenue and tax collection for a greater Anambra. This is why we are contributing our own quota. We have already fixed a day for training with the FRSC authorities who have agreed to enlighten our road marshals concerning the state government achievements. We are working to see the implementation of all these. The recent move by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to streamline revenue collection in Anambra state by introducing electronic payment and unified system has thrown the state into divergent views, with some giving support and others kicking against it. Under the current circumstances, tricycle operators are to pay N15,000 annually, while their colleagues on shuttle buses are to be paying N25,000 yearly. There are also what those in other transport sectors like motorcycles, buses and so on will pay.

What are some functions of RTEAN that would expectedly change the narratives in Anambra state transport sector?

If authorised by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, RTEAN would help the state to recover and prevent loss of revenues in the transport sector. We know that Soludo would approve it because he is an upright man. He knows the dos and don’ts. He knows what to do and is working with us. We are giving his administration one hundred percent support to reform the transportation sector. If supported, we would sanitise the transport sector in the state. To that extent, we would help the state government to completely eradicate ticket racketeering, multiple taxation and others at no extra cost. We have come to sanitise road transport sector in Anambra state just as it is working in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun and some other states that recognised the importance of RTEAN. Our association is contributing about 80 percent of revenue collection at Lagos, Ogun, FCT and others. That is the change we want to enforce here so that Anambra would also benefit from the nation like other states. We are loosing a lot in the state. We will provide Governor Soludo with what he is demanding for in the Anambra state transport sector. 

How does RTEAN intends to achieve this?

RTEAN has over 500 marshals in all the 21 Local government areas (LGA) in the state. We have our chapels (branches) across the LGAs. All the chapels have executives. Our members have identities, they have uniforms, identity cards with names and ranks of members on them. With these, it would be easier to trace people and their vehicles. We have parks and data of all our members. Our members are been trained and equipped to carry on their works hitch-free. We are going to organise training for our marshals in Anambra state soon so as to acquaint our members with what is tenable in the transport sector. The training on transport activities with the officers of Federal Roads Safety Commission is to help the government achieve all they need. If there are no ways to monitor and enforce the laws, it would be very difficult to implement it. We have submitted our proposals. We want to show the government what we are meant for. We are okay by the five percent the government approved. We have our way to make sure the revenue goes directly into the government purse. We want to make sure what our governor planned works out. We have our 1,000 members. And why we must make it work out is because most of our members are from Anambra state too, with many others residing here too. We cannot stay and allow bad government because it would affect us too. We have voter’s cards to vote and be voted for. 

Can you also help out in traffic management? 

Yes. We would also assist in decongesting the state of traffic violation and other vices in the society. There are areas where traffic increases at times. We would assist the government to find out those flashpoints and flush it out without cost to the state government. Few days ago, the ministry requested us to supply them with list of our members to the joint taskforce committee and we have done that. We have five parks to commence work soon. We have the ways of sensitising our staff. In parks, you are to have data of all to find out whatever is going own. We banned selling and consumption of illicit drugs and alcoholic drinks in our parks to avoid illegality, indecency and others. We have taskforce to enforce it to see orderliness and compliance to it.  We don’t permit people who are not our members in our parks. Summarily, we have our professional ways of handling transport sectors. 

Why do you think this would work out as majority are kicking against it? 

Only bad eggs are kicking against it. There is nowhere it would not work out. The ongoing enrollment government has embarked on is good. We have our members all over the parks and local government areas. Again, the work is constitutionally assigned to us. So, if given the opportunity we would help monitor it well. We will always checkmate the system and report accordingly to the ministry. We would help the state government to recover all the revenue diverted to personal interest.