Tipper drivers on Monday blocked the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway in Onitsha, Anambra State, to protest the alleged imposition of Anambra State Tippers Association (ASTA) on them.
The drivers, under the umbrella of Great Tipper Drivers Association of Nigeria, Anambra State branch, accused the Ministry of Transport of imposition the association of them.
The protest started about 8.30am and disrupted vehicular and human movement.
Motorists entering and exiting the state from Delta, Imo, Abia, Cross River and Akwa Ibom state were trapped in the traffic for several hours.
Efforts of security agencies to force the protesters to vacate the road were unsuccessful as most of the drivers were nowhere to be seen.
Vice Chairman of the association Boniface Udenwa said the protest was against the imposition and inauguration of strangers on them by the Commissioner of Transport, Afam Mbanefo. He insisted they would only vacate the roads if Mbanefo addressed them.
He said: “When we visited Awka, we explained to the commissioner the implication of his actions, but he turned deaf ears to our appeal. Today, you have seen what is happening.
“How can you impose strangers as an umbrella body to control activities of tipper unions, let them come out and address us. If they are accepted, why are they on the run? ASTA is a group owned by a contractor, they are not tipper owners or drivers. On Friday some of their members came with a ticket called ASTA Welfare Ticket of N500, forcing our members to buy it on every trip of sand they carry.
“This means that if you carry sand 20 times a day, you will pay N500 20 times, when we pay N700 and other levies daily to the state. Some of our members are now hospitalised due to the beating they received from those collecting money for the ticket. They even invaded sand pits and beat our members.
“Even members of Sand Miners Association who have no business with them were beaten in an attempt to collect the money, to show how desperate they want us to accept the illegal body. What business do they have coming to harass us at sand beaches or pits, beating the beach or pit owners and harassing them not to protest their illegal fee?”
President-General of Sand Miners Association Sir Chris Mbaezue said: “ASTA sealed our sand beaches or pits to intimidate us. Since last Friday, sand beach owners have not done their business because of ASTA’s harassment.”
