By Matthias Ogbagah
UGHELLI – In less than four-eight hours the executive chairman of Ughelli North Council, Hon Jaro Egbo declared free entry and exit for sales of sharp sand in Ughelli North, the branch ‘A’ chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Ughelli North Council, Comrade Felix Olokopa JP, on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, inaugurated and sworn in executive members of Ekiugbo, Otovwodo, and Ogor Tipper units of the NURTW.
Performing the inauguration of the units and their executive members at the instances of the state executive, Olokpa, who is Special Senior Assistant (SSA) to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on youth mobilization, charged the unit executive members and their members to be good ambassadors of NURTW and uphold the constitution of the union.
According to him, the only union body that is recognized from the national to the state and the local government areas of the country, as affirmed by Ughelli North council chairman, Hon. Jaro Egbo, during a meeting of NURTW and UTQUEN on 20th October 2024 in his office to collect and issue tickets to drivers is NURTW.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after the inauguration, Olokpa disclosed that the union has in recent times meshed with challenges from some group of persons who style named themselves UTQUEN who were until now members of NURTW refused to adhere to the Delta State government directives that all drivers in the state should buy the state haulage tickets.
“The executive members of Union of Tippers & Quarry Employers of Nigeria (UTQUEN), Ughelli North Chapter, were once sworn in by NURTW because they did not want to buy Delta State’s own ticket. They formed a parallel union body that worked against the good policies of the state government.
“Is there any quarry company in Ughelli North Council, even in the state as a whole. These people are rebellious to the constituted authority and government of Delta State.
“They refused to buy Delta State hullage tickets meant for drivers plying roads in the state. Rather, they resorted to selling Edo State’s ticket to their members in Delta State”.
Also speaking to newsmen the branch ‘B’ chairman of NURTW, comrade General Moro of Branch A&B of NURTW Ughelli north council, there are some people who went to Edo State to bring a union of Quarry known as Union of Tippers & Quarry Employers of Nigeria (UTQUEN) they are known for bring of stones.
“The union is one of the major sources of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Edo State, thereby taking the revenue of Delta State to Edo State, and we NURTW are saying it will not work, we can not give what belongs to Delta State to Edo State.
“No tipper carrying UTQUEN stickers and tickets should enter our domain to work, we will not allow them to enter our units and the council as a whole.
“The sand beach owners union in the council area is in support of UTQUEN to siphon what belongs to Delta State to Edo State.”
Responding, the Ekiugbo, Otovwodo, and Ogor units chairmen vowed to uphold the constitution of the union.
It would be recalled that the executive chairman of Ughelli North has reduced the price of sand to #30,000 per trip, advising sand sellers to sell at their convenient prices without disrupting others.
Among those sworn in as unit chairmen are Comrade Richard Omohwovo (Ekiugbo unit), comrade Ejovwoke Umukoro (Ogor unit), and Felix Ogbevire Udjor (Otovwodo unit).
