Transport unions attribute incident to communication gap over terminal enforcement and loading-space allocation.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform | September 17, 2026.
ENUGU — Commercial drivers and tricycle operators in Enugu State have dismissed reports that the recent traffic disruption around the Ogbete Main Market axis was a protest against taxation or rising fuel prices.
The transport operators explained that the incident was primarily triggered by a misunderstanding between enforcement officials and operators over the implementation of the state government’s terminal policy, particularly the allocation and identification of designated loading spaces.
The operators, who spoke during a meeting with officials of the Enugu East Zone Terminals, reaffirmed their support for the government’s ongoing efforts to relocate commercial vehicles from roadsides to designated transport terminals.
They said narratives linking the disruption principally to opposition to taxes and fuel price increases did not accurately reflect the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Speaking at the meeting, a representative of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) covering the Obiagu and New Haven branches, Comrade Obi Okonkwo, said the unions had no objection to the government’s decision to decongest roads and move commercial vehicles into designated terminals.
According to him, the concern arose from the manner of enforcement, particularly the difficulty some operators experienced in identifying their allocated loading spaces.
“We have no problem with the government’s decision to decongest the roads and move us into the terminals. Our concern was simply that the enforcement team should carry us along and show our members where they were expected to load,” Okonkwo said.
He urged members of the public to disregard reports suggesting that transport unions were opposed to the state government’s transportation reforms.
Similarly, Comrade Chinonso Michael, who represented operators on the Obiagu-New Market route, attributed the misunderstanding to inadequate communication between enforcement officials and transport operators.
“Right from the beginning, we were not against the decision to move us from the roadsides into the terminals. We only wanted to be properly carried along by the enforcement team,” he said.
Also speaking, a national representative of the union in the state, Comrade Achi Ikechukwu, said the situation could have been avoided through improved communication and engagement.
He expressed the unions’ willingness to work with terminal management to facilitate compliance and called for the establishment of a liaison committee between transport unions and terminal officials to address operational concerns and support the transition from roadside loading to designated facilities.
The Chairman of the tricycle operators, Comrade Kingsley Edeh, also rejected claims that the incident was primarily a protest against taxation.
Edeh said the operators had continued to fulfil their statutory levy obligations, stressing that their immediate concern was the availability and proper allocation of suitable loading spaces within the terminals.
He appealed to the terminal management to ensure that operators were assigned appropriate spaces, while assuring that his members would cooperate with the government’s efforts to reorganise commercial transportation across the metropolis.
Edeh also commended the establishment of the terminals, noting that the initiative could contribute significantly to reducing traffic congestion and curbing roadside loading in the city.
Responding, the Managing Director of Enugu East Zone Terminals, Dr. John Egbo, assured the transport unions of continued engagement and cooperation.
Egbo explained that the terminals were established as part of the state government’s broader efforts to tackle congestion around major commercial centres and develop a more organised transportation system.
He subsequently led representatives of the transport unions to their designated loading areas within the terminal, explaining the facilities and their intended use by both operators and commuters.
According to him, the terminals would help reduce roadside congestion, improve the movement of vehicles and passengers, and promote a more orderly environment around major commercial centres.
The Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Obi Ozor, who inspected the facility, commended the terminal management for the level of organisation and urged transport operators to cooperate with the government to ensure the success of the initiative.
Ozor said the terminals formed part of the administration’s broader strategy to address longstanding traffic challenges around Ogbete Main Market, Old Park and other major commercial areas within Enugu metropolis.
He added that the policy was also designed to enhance security, improve traffic management and restore order around major markets and transport corridors.
On the taxation controversy, the commissioner said the state government had introduced reforms aimed at simplifying revenue collection and reducing multiple collection points.
He maintained that an efficient revenue system remained important to the government’s capacity to provide infrastructure and essential public services.
Ozor urged transport operators and other stakeholders to channel operational concerns through dialogue and engagement with the government rather than resorting to actions capable of disrupting traffic and economic activities.
At the end of the engagement, the stakeholders expressed their readiness to continue discussions on the effective use of the terminals and work towards a smooth transition from roadside loading points to designated transport facilities.
The development comes as the Enugu State Government intensifies efforts to enforce the use of designated transport terminals as part of its broader strategy to improve traffic management, transportation efficiency, security and urban order across the metropolis.
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