By Omos Oyinbode, Asaba
The face-off between the Delta State Chapter of the Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) and Oshimili South Local Government Council may soon be over as the Delta State Government has waded into the matter with a view to finding a lasting solution to the crisis.
This followed a peace talk brokered by the state Commissioner of Transport, Hon. Benson Igbakpa urging both parties to mend fences and settle out of court.
It would be recalled that the Oshimili South chapter of the state NATA and authorities of the Council have been at war over tenancy rate of the temporary mechanic village currently occupied by members of the state Chapter of NATA.
While the council is imposing a monthly rent of N4,000 on each mechanic occupying the area, NATA members are opposing the rent saying they can only part with N1,000 even as they insist that the property was allocated to them by the Delta State Government, who in 2013, relocated them to the site.
Addressing both parties at the Village, Hon. Igbakpa noted that while in 2014, the state government as part of its urban renewal drive, relocated mechanics at the state capital to the temporary site, pending when the state government concludes arrangement for the establishment of the state of the art permanent mechanic village, just as he affirmed that the property belongs to the local government.
Given the development, Igbakpa said, “as a matter of fact and contrary to insinuations, this is Ministry of Transport land, it belongs to the local government council. We only relocated you here pending when we are able to finish up arrangements on the permanent site for Mechanic village.
“So, as it stands now, Oshimili South Local government council is your landlord. You should go to the Chairman and settle your differences because, in the tenancy agreement, if you must stay in my house or use my property, then you must be prepared to pay your rent”.
“Please, let me use this medium to appeal to you to go to court and withdraw that matter from the court, then go to the Chairman, negotiate with him and pay”, Igbakpa appealed just as he passionately appealed to the local government Chairman, Barrister John Chuks Obusom, to shift ground from the N4, 000 monthly rent earlier slammed on the mechanics.
