Focus Initiative Against Touting (FIAT), a non-governmental organisation, has announced plans to end touting in Abia State, especially in Aba, the State’s commercial hub. This is as the group inaugurated its Abia chapter, Thursday in Aba, the commercial hub of Aba State.
They observed that touts disguise as Government officials to constitute nuisance on major roads, by constantly harassing motorists and patrons into the State and thereby stifling economic activities.
Victor Johnson, national coordinator, FIAT, in an interaction with newsmen explained that the organisation is working with the police and other security agencies to remove touts that are making lives difficult for entrepreneurs and other residents out of the roads.
“Ever since we came into being in 2016, we’ve been going from place 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 the approval to serve as whistleblowers to the Nigeria police to function as whistleblowers in the area of touting.
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“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 has written to Abia State Government and are hoping that similar collaboration, would enable them to get touts off the streets of Abia.
“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 the government will not give jobs to touts.
“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 Abians, who know these touts or know those related to them, to advise them to hands of 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.
Director of Publicity and Orientation of FIAT, Eusebio Eke, director of publicity and orientation, FIAT urged journalists in the State to assist the organization in the fight against touting, stressing that activities of touts are 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. We have businesses to thrive, night lives returned so that Aba will regain its glory”.
