Members of Timber Loaders Association (TLA) and Timber Handsaw Association (THA) in Koko Community, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State have condemned the imposed levies on them by the newly inaugurated Rangers Union.
Members of the associations registered their condemnation of the levies in a peaceful protest in front of the council secretariat and at the Police Station in Koko.
The protesters, who were seen wearing palm fronds and carrying placards with inscriptions: ‘We no go gree’ and ‘peaceful protest’, chanted ”no to Rangers Union” to register their demands.
Spokesperson for the protesters, Mr. Excel Okotie, who spoke to newsmen, described the newly imposed levies on them as “modern-day slave trade”.
“Most of us here, both young and old, have been doing this work for over 20 years and we are not happy with the recent levies imposed by the executives of the Rangers Union, who sit at home and do nothing but collect money.
“Our leaders in Koko are using this union they recently created to carry out this modern-day slavery on us.
“We do not want to cause trouble in the community, that is why we are at the council secretariat to register our complaints before the council chairman, Honourable Smart Asekutu, to intervene in the issue,” he said.
Okotie alleged that the chairman of the newly inaugurated Rangers Union was imposed on them, noting that the Koko leaders have not treated them fairly.
An officer of one of the security agencies, who pleaded anonymity on the issue, revealed that they were on top of the situation to prevent any further escalation.
Reports revealed that the chairman of the said Rangers Union had sent a letter to the two associations, dated June 26, 2023, notifying them of a new levy of N2,000 for loading and N8,000 to be paid by timber drivers as from July 1, 2023 to the union, including the separation of loaders carrying the logs from the river and those arranging the logs in the truck.
This, however, did not go down well with the associations as they responded through their lawyer and in turn staged a protest to drive home their demands.
Efforts to reach the Warri North Council chairman and others concerned to throw more light on the issue proved abortive as they were said to be on official assignments outside the council area.
