By Williams Odunze
The Imo State Tipper Drivers Welfare Association, has held its end of the year get together in grand style as friends, associates, other organizations and well wishers converged to celebrate with them.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Chairman Board of trustees, Imo Tipper Drivers Welfare Association, Engr. Anthony Frank Obineme ,(aka, Obu Agudindu) informed that the event is the first of its kind, saying that the organization was just registered two weeks ago with the Corporate Affairs Commission,CAC, inorder to get the required relevance.
The Chairman, pointed out that the association is still at its teething stage but maintained that by the time they begin rolling out programmes that the public will know that such organization exists.
He said that the main purpose of forming the association is to bring Tipper Drivers under one umbrella and change the narrative of the association.
Obineme, remarked that before now, people see tipper drivers as “agberos ” not knowing that the profession is a very dignified profession, if properly managed,maintaining that it is what the body is coming to do , to change people’s perception concerning the driving profession mostly, as it affects tipper drivers.
” We have decided to do something, like the name suggests , looking for the welfare of members and the same time sensitize the public about our mission and vision.
This get together also affords us the opportunity to educate our members on the importance of the association.” he said.
The BoT chairman, further informed that by next year, the association is going to come up with many concepts that will benefit the members.
” We are coming up with wonderful concepts, to expand the scope of our members, change their psyche towards the profession also engage them in other skills in order to have something to hold onto after retiring from driving,” he further said.
In his speech, the chairman of the occasion, also Chairman Miners Association of Imo State, Prince Ugochukwu Onyenwenwa ,said that he was happy to witness the maiden celebration of the association and advised them to keep it up.
Onyenwenwa maintained that going by what he saw, that the association is in a better hands and will go higher in no distant time.
The chairman of Imo miners association, promised that they will continue to recognize the association as he enjoined them to also join the miners association.
” We will from time to time get in touch with you to know how you are faring and assist you in anyway we can.
You are also free to join miners association if you want because we are all one” he maintained.
The high point of the celebration was bestowing of awards to some individuals who have one way or the other identified with the association.
Among those that received the awards include:, the Imo State Police Commissioner, CP Aboki Danjuma, former APC State Chairman, Marcilinus Nlemigbo and others.
The Nigeria Police Imo State command, Civil Defense and members of Road safety Corp who lectured the drivers on road safety tips were among those who graced the event
