By Chikodili Ideke
The Anambra Motorcycle Dispatch Riders Association (AMDRA) has paid a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Edward Obiefuna Ibuzo, seeking a stronger working relationship aimed at improving logistics operations across the state.
The delegation, led by AMDRA Chairman, Aligwo Emmanuel Toochukwu, called on the Commissioner on Tuesday, 7th July 2026, using the occasion to congratulate him on his appointment and to table a range of operational challenges confronting dispatch riders in Anambra.
Toochukwu described AMDRA as a registered association that unites logistics business owners and dispatch riders, including independent operators and employers, under a common framework anchored on professionalism, accountability, safety, and coordinated service delivery.
He disclosed that the association currently has over 60 registered members and more than 100 riders on its digital platform, adding that an estimated 200 dispatch riders operate across the state.
The Chairman noted that AMDRA already collaborates with relevant government agencies to ensure members comply with traffic regulations, obtain required permits and waivers, and benefit from welfare programmes, insurance coverage, and protection against extortion.
Central to the visit was a request for the integration of AMDRA’s digital database with the Ministry of Transport’s online waiver platform, a move the association argues would enable seamless data exchange, improve rider identification, strengthen security, and enhance operational efficiency statewide.
AMDRA further appealed for prospective waiver applicants to be encouraged to join the association, contending that membership would promote accountability, improve regulation, and professionalise the logistics industry.
Speaking with journalists on the sidelines, Toochukwu highlighted AMDRA’s working relationships with the Ministry of Transport, the Nigeria Police Force, NAFDAC, and the NDLEA, noting that these partnerships had been instrumental in addressing extortion and harassment while improving compliance across the sector.
In his response, Commissioner Ibuzo welcomed the delegation warmly and acknowledged the growing importance of digitalisation in the transport sector. He was, however, measured in his reception of the proposals, cautioning against making association membership compulsory and emphasising that government would evaluate the requests carefully, without ceding statutory enforcement responsibilities to private bodies. He requested documentary evidence to support AMDRA’s engagements and claims as a prerequisite for further consideration.
The visit ended on a cordial note, with the delegation presenting the Commissioner with a customised portrait wall clock, which he graciously received.
Chikodili Ideke writes for the Anambra State Ministry of Information.
