By: Amb Karen James
In a passionate show of appreciation, the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), Owerri Road branch, has hailed the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo — fondly called Solution Governor — for what they describe as “mighty, significant and undisputed achievements” in the transportation sector, especially in the lives of Keke (tricycle) riders across the state.
Addressing journalists at their office along Owerri Road, the TOAN coordinator, Mr. Nnamdi Gabriel Obunse, said Governor Soludo has proven to be “the only governor who hears the cries of the poor riders and responds instantly.” He described Soludo as the “best governor Anambra has ever had”, particularly for his commitment to eliminating touting and restoring law and order in the transport sector.
“When the governor promised to end touting, many of us thought it was just political talk,” Mr. Obunse said. “But to our greatest surprise, Soludo did what only God seems capable of doing — he chased agboro [touts] completely out of our roads.”
According to him, this transformation began with the creation of the Special Anti-Touting Squad of Anambra (SASA), which was tasked with cleaning up the streets and freeing commercial drivers and riders from years of harassment, extortion, and insecurity.
The coordinator poured accolades on Mr. Nwokoye, the Managing Director of SASA, describing him as “the brain behind the operation,” who restored public confidence and professionalism within the SASA structure, especially when some rogue elements attempted to derail the agency’s purpose.
“When some corrupt people tried to corrupt SASA members, our Solution Governor said NO. He handed over leadership to Nwokoye, who, together with Ezeoba and his team, transformed everything. We now walk around places like Upper Iweka, Amanator, and Idemili with our phones freely — something that was impossible before.”
He recounted how quick SASA’s response has been to reports of illegal touting activities. He cited an instance where Keke riders alerted SASA about extortion along the Owerri Road axis in Oba, and the squad swiftly swung into action — flushing out the touts without delay.
“They even cleared both the old and new Oba roads. When the touts tried to return, we informed Ezeoba again, and viammm… he moved and cleaned them out once more. That kind of dedication is rare,” he said with a smile.
Obunse also applauded the transformation of Anambra’s physical infrastructure, saying Governor Soludo has made the state feel like “another Dubai in Nigeria.”
“Go to Okpoko, Fegge and other areas; you’ll see clean streets, working street lights, and smooth roads. We now carry goods without harassment. You could load a whole house in your Keke and no tout will disturb you.”
Despite the praises, the TOAN leader humbly appealed to the governor to help repair the Owerri Road Expressway, which he said is in a terrible state and negatively affects their ability to earn a living and contribute tax revenue to the state.
“We visit mechanics more than we go home. This bad road is spoiling our machines and making life hard for us. We beg our Solution Governor to help us fix Owerri Road so that our joy will be complete.”
He concluded by reiterating the association’s unflinching support for SASA and the Solution Government, adding:
“SASA is the best thing that has ever happened to riders in Anambra. Soludo is not just a governor; he is God-sent. Long live SASA! Long live Solution Governor!”
