By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The Cross River State Commissioner for Transportation, Pastor Ekpeyong Cobham, has refuted allegations making the rounds in some social media platforms that he stormed the office of the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ankpo Pius Edet, harrassed him with thugs, and carted away with vital documents.
The Commissioner debunked the allegations in a question and answer session with CompassNG in Calabar on Saturday.
The commissioner maintained that he couldn’t have condescend so low to resort to a fight with the Works Commissioner, talkless of going to pay him a visit in company of thugs.
Represented by his Special Assistant, Joseph Davis Agba, Cibham stated, “It’s ridiculous to say that I went to the Commissioner for Works’ office with thugs to cart away documents that were useful to his office.”
He added, “The Commissioner for Transportation did not meet with the Commissioner for Works. He neither came in contact with him, nor did he had any argument or altercation with the commissioner.
“Let it be on record that we didn’t even see each other talkless of shaking hands with each other. This allegation and speculation is absolutely not true and fake.”
Cobham called on the Director, Vehicle Inspection Office, VIO, Engr. Paul Bepeh, to come to terms with the law for value addition to Senator Otu-led administration which is so determined to transform the state transport sub-sector.
The Transportation Commissioner averred that the Transport Ministry is the only one with the mandate to supervise the Traffic Management Regulatory and Monitoring Agency, TRAMRA, adding that his claims can be attested to by a letter sent to the Transport Ministry from the state Attorney General, AG, and Secretary to State Government, SSG’s office asking the Transportation Ministry to take charge.
A letter from the state AG’s Office, dated September 26, 2023, titled: ‘Re: Appeal for the Review of Regulatory Law in the Transportation Sub-Sector,’ signed by the Director and Head, Legal Drafting and Commercial Laws Department, for the AG and Commissioner for Justice, addressed to the Commissioner, Ministry of Transportation, asking the Transport Commissioner to take charge of the supervision of TRAMRA, which the vehicle inspection unit is under.
The letter, with reference number CRMOTM/AD/81/VOL-1/33, sighted by CompassNG, said, “I have the directives to inform you that we have carefully studied both the Traffic Management Regulatory Agency Law No. 2, 2015 and the Commercial Transportation Regulatory and Monitoring Agency Amendment Law, 2017 and discovered that section 6 of that law empowers the transport commissioner to take charge in piloting affairs of the agency.
Another letter from the office of the SSG also directed the Transportation Commissioner to superintend over the affair of TRAMRA.
The letter, signed by the SSG, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh, dated November 23, 2023, also asked the transportation commissioner to take charge of affairs at TRAMRA.
In his reaction to the issue, the Director, Vehicle Inspection Office, Engr. Bepeh, refuted claims in some quarters that his office has refused to honour the SSG and AG’s letters, saying that vehicle inspection services is now domiciled in the Ministry of Works office.
Bepeh said, “I feel the new dispensation of Prince Otu’s administration.”
Bepeh stressed that his office is charged with the responsibility of witnessing motor ordinance tests, given the peculiarity of the job.
But the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ankpo Pius, when contacted to speak on the issue, he declined comments, saying that he was in a crucial meeting and cannot talk.
