MANY transporters in Akwa Ibom state though benefits from the Federal Government’s N30,000 survival funds, the majority were excluded due to inadequate information, time constraints, and the state government’s exclusion in the entire process. Ekemini SIMON reports.

THE Federal Government, in late 2020, as part of its Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), launched a scheme tagged “Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Survival Fund”, which was designed to assist 330,000 artisans and 4,505 transporters with a one-time payment of N30,000 each.

According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice-President, Laolu Akande, confirmed the beneficiaries of the transport scheme in each state would be 4,505 transporters. The scheme is managed by the office of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Nigerians operating in the transport business – including Rideshare drivers (Uber, Bolt, etc.), taxi drivers, bus drivers, Keke NAPEP riders, Okada riders, cart pushers, among others, are those mentioned by the office of the Vice President as being eligible for the fund.

Few payments made in Capital City

Investigation revealed that not all the 4,505 transporters eligible beneficiaries of the scheme in Akwa Ibom State actually received the payment. This reporter visited seven urban local government areas of Akwa Ibom State; Uyo, Itu, Eket, Oron, Ikot Ekpene, Abak and Ikono (Nung Udoe Itak).

Most of the commercial transporters interviewed said they did not receive the funds. However, a few of them, whom this reporter spoke with in Uyo and Itu local government areas, acknowledged receiving the funds.

In Itu Local Government Area, this reporter could only find four commercial drivers who benefitted from the survival fund at Central Motor Park, Itam (Intra-state shuttle) out of 32 that were met in the park and subsequently interviewed. Although this park is in Itu council area, it is located within the area marked as the capital city of Uyo.

Those who acknowledged receipt of the funds are Daniel Ned, Godswill Edward, Eshiet Essien and Timothy Udoh. They noted that they received the fund in April after one or about two months of registration and biometric capturing. Although they could not be specific about the number of beneficiaries among them, they estimated the number to stand in the range of 20 within the park.

The chairman of the Central Motor Park who also serves as chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Itu branch, Timothy Udoh, said they could record beneficiaries owing to the guidance they received from the national hierarchy of NURTW.

” We received instructions from the national union through the state chairman of the council that the federal government will give out such money. We registered and were invited for capturing to make sure those registered are bona fide members of the Union. After one or two months, we were paid. But we were told it would run for six months”.

Udoh said out of about 400 persons within his chapter, about 90 per cent of his members took part in the exercise, but he is, however, uncertain about the number of those eventually paid.

He assured that those who emerged as beneficiaries had no connection with the officials; rather, they saw the money paid into their bank account. The chairman explained that as instructed by the national leadership of NURTW, those who did not receive their palliative but passed through the biometric screening have had their data sent to the national headquarters for processing.

Though many drivers came for the registration, officials failed to return for biometric screening, hence, no one received the funds in the park.

Otobong Inyang, one of the officials at the park, said he registered but got nothing.

“They came and registered us, but we can’t find the money. However, there was no data capturing. We have heard that they have given the money in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt. Whosoever that is holding that money should give it to us. I am a Nigerian, Akwa Ibomite and a transporter.”

In Uyo Local Government Area, this reporter could see only two persons who admitted to have received this fund. They are Matthew Asuquo, chairman of Minibus Operators in Akwa Ibom State, who also serves as Assistant Secretary in the NURTW and Godwin Edem, who also serves as chairman, Road Transport Employer’s Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Akwa Ibom State.

READ MORE HERE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/poor-execution-thwarts-success-of-fg-survival-funds-for-transporters-in-akwa-ibom/

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