Abia Govt Launches FIAT, Vows Clampdown On Touting
An anti-touting initiative, has been inaugurated in Abia state with the aim of ending the practice all over the state, especially in Aba, its commercial nerve centre.
Focus Initiative Against Touting (FIAT), a non-governmental organisation and brain behind the initiative, observed that touts disguise as government officials to constitute nuisance on major roads, by constantly harassing motorists and patrons into the state, thereby stifling economic activities.
Victor Johnson, national coordinator, FIAT, in an interaction with newsmen at the Aba Recreation Club, venue of the event, explained that the organisation was working with the police and other security agencies to remove touts who were making lives difficult for entrepreneurs and other residents out of the roads.
“Ever since we came into being in 2016, we’ve been going round, from state to state, to make sure that the activities of touts are put on check.
“We’re carrying out our activities in collaboration with the Nigeria Police, as we have approval to serve as whistle blowers to the Nigeria police in the area of touting.
“As a non-governmental organisation, law enforcement agencies are the lawful weapons we have and we collaborate with them to make our society a better place.
Johnson explained that collaboration between FIAT and the Anambra state ministry of transport recently yielded good fruits as over 200 touts were arrested and prosecuted in the state, especially in Onitsha.
According to him, “Anambra state ministry of transport there partnered with us in the arrest of over 200 touts that were presented to a mobile court and some of them are still serving their sentences today”.
He stated that FIAT had written to Abia state government and was hoping that similar collaboration would enable them get touts off the streets of Abia state. “We’ve written to the state government and we are not after their revenue agents. We’ll ensure that their revenue agents are protected, because we believe that government will not give jobs to a tout.
“They’ll screen you before giving you a job. So, once anyone can prove that he is sent by the government, we’ll leave him; but we’ll monitor their activities so that it must be in tandem with what the law stipulates”, he stated.
Chima Ubani, Abia state coordinator, FIAT pleaded with all good-spirited Abia persons, who know these touts or those related to them, to advise them to hands off their illicit activities. “We have a lot of things to change in Abia, especially Aba. Our motor parks and our major highways must be cleared of touts. Every federal road must be cleared of touts”.
He pleaded for the support of the state government and their agencies to rid the state of touts.
FIAT director of publicity and orientation, Eusebio Eke, urged journalists in the state to assist the organisation in the fight against touting, stressing that the activities of touts were affecting all human endeavours in Abia. “We call on the press to join us in this fight. Aba is full of touts and their activities are affecting everybody. You know that, most times, it is people in government that keep those boys there.
“We need the press to help us in this humanitarian job because we can’t continue to have a society where people live in fear because of touts. FIAT has what it takes to tackle the issue of touting.”
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