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Peter Igbinosun, National President, NARPPMAN, tests a motorcycle
By Akpan David, Calabar
Good number of speed boat drivers and Okada riders smiled to the banks when large numbers of rubber farmers trooped into Okurike and Biakpan communities of Biase Local Government Area in Cross River State.
Led by their national president of Natural Rubber Producers Processors and Marketers Association (NARPPMAN) Prince Peter Igbinosun, the farmers had travelled to see the new and only rubber processing factory in the state sited in Biakpan as part of their rubber week celebration.
Their coming lifted the spirits of the boat owners and other helmsmen as well as the okada men who had not reportedly had business for nearly one month.
This is because fewer number of travellers risked the high tide of the community river which had surged and overflowed its banks as a result of the continual rainfalls for many days.
Many of the farmers held their hearts in their mouths having not travelled by water before.
Igbinosun said: “Even though I am from Delta State with waters and creeks, too, this is my first time to travel in a speed boat. It is a safe risk I am taking. I trust it is going to be safe and I will enjoy it.”
One of the boat captains, Ogaraekpe Esu said “We are happy for their coming. Business has been very dull these few weeks. The two way trips has fetched us food morning within few minutes.”
Normal fare over the long river which takes about ten minutes by speed boat is N300 but the visitors were happy to part with higher amount happily.
The okada riders, numbering more than 20, were reclining on their bikes on the other side of the river waiting for passengers when the rubber farmers alighted from the five speed boats that brought them.
Delighted at the coming of the farmers, they charged each one N500 from the Ugbem beach to the site of the factory in Biakpan, a distance of less than 15kms.
“It was a good day for us all. We appreciate the farmers indeed”, one of the Okada riders, Onun Kanu said.
Kanu who conveyed two passengers per trip at N700 each said: ” Within one less than 40 minutes I have made about N3000. I think it is a good day for me. Before I will close for the day, I know I can make close to N10,000. I am happy”, he said.
