From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Tricycle operators in Aba, Abia State, have decried the free fuel programme of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Emmanuel Emeruwa, describing it as a charade and one that solves no problem.
Rt. Hon Emeruwa had earlier in the week announced he was going to give free fuel to Keke riders in his constituency of Aba South to help ease the burden of high fuel costs, adding that the free PMS will be provided at three different petrol stations on June 19.
However, when newsmen went around the three designated fuel stations located at Ngwa Road by Lagos Street, Port Harcourt Road by ECN Junction and Obohia Road by Uyo Street, most of the tricycle and motorcycle riders expressed disappointment over the whole exercise.
They described the exercise as very selective, adding that they were told they will be giving five litres of fuel each, only for majority of them to receive as little as one litre, while many others did not get at all, even after spending several man hours on the queue.
Obinna Nwaeze, a tricycle rider at popular number one junction said he had expected that it would have been a real empowerment programme, only to find out everything was a charade.
“Honestly, politicians are deceitful. We didn’t force him, he said he wanted to give us free fuel. I went, but I was surprised that even the much talked about five litres wasn’t true.
“I got just a litre after spending several hours on the queue, wasting the whole day without achieving anything in the process.”
A motorcycle rider, Ezikiel Okwuonu, reeling out his experience under the scotching sun, vowed he will never attend any empowerment programme again expect it is organized by Governor Alex Otti.
He added that it is only Governor Otti he trusts as other politicians are yet to understand the feelings of the people.
“What the speaker’s people did today (Thursday) is embarrassing. At least keep to your words. People came out as at the time they asked us to, but most of us went home disappointed.
“Most of us left the day’s work only to end up wasting our time in the name of chasing free fuel that never actually came. This is a complete charade.
“If he wants to empower us, let him help the governor by grading some inland roads in Aba South which the governor is yet to touch, so that we can take passengers there and make money and not this giving us of one liter of fuel that serves no purpose,” Okwuonu advised.
