By Stanley Nwanosike
Transport stakeholders in Enugu State have agreed to strengthen the already existing taskforce on road decongestion along markets to ensure constant free flow of traffic within Enugu metropolis.
This is contained in a communiqué issued on Wednesday after a Transport Stakeholders’ Forum; which was held in Enugu.
They agreed to decongest roads along Holy Ghost, Chris Chemist, Gariki market and Abakpa market axis; while building synergy with the police, urban local government councils and market leaders.
Participants also recommended more training and re-training of traffic officers within the state.
“There is a need for more sensitisation and publicity by the Ministry of Transport, the leadership of the transport unions and other stakeholders through the media and road shows.
“That all road users, both the commercial and private motorists in Enugu State should always obey traffic rules and regulations.
“Transport stakeholders also enjoined the highly placed individuals and personalities in the state to desist from interfering when motorists commit traffic offences and equally obey traffic rules/regulations as they are not above the law,” they said.
They lauded Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for road maintenance within the Enugu metropolis and enjoined him to “keep it up”.
They also requested the state government to take necessary action to fix traffic lights that are not functioning in order to improve on the traffic situation in the state.
They also called for the strengthening of the existing traffic mobile court to make it more functional to check activities of dissidents to traffic rules and regulations in Enugu State.
On security, they warned all those using services of commercial vehicles and tricycles to desist from entering any commercial vehicle without route and registration numbers.
“The operational time of 6a.m. to 9p.m. daily for tricycles (Keke) and mini-bus operators in Enugu metropolis should be maintained.
“All private school buses and ambulances should all operate with commercial number plates as stipulated by the law and register their operation with the Enugu State Ministry of Transport.
“Leaderships of transport unions in the state were requested to always hold meetings with the drivers/operators of all commercial vehicles in Enugu State to bridge communication gaps,” they said.
The communiqué was signed by executives of all transport unions in the state; market unions’ representatives, a media representative and representatives of security agencies.
Other signatories to the communiqué included: representative of the Nigerian Bar Association, representatives of the chairmen of the three council areas within Enugu metropolis and representative of the Enugu State Ministry of Transport. (NAN)
