The Enugu State Government yesterday, gave reasons why it approved the lifting of ban on the operation of the traffic enforcement taskforce of its Ministry of Transport, saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that road users obey traffic rules and regulations in the state.
The approval which was part of the decisions taken at the meeting of the State Executive Council (EXCO), according to the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Godwin Udughele, was sequel to the request by the Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Vitus Okechi for the ban to be lifted.
Giving more insight into the circumstances surrounding the decision of the State EXCO to lift the ban, Mr. Okechi through a statement made available to newsmen, disclosed that road users took advantage of the ban to abuse traffic rules and regulations in the state.
He regretted that the untoward act had posed a threat to security of lives of the people, adding that most road accidents and obstruction in the state were caused as a result of the incessant abuse of traffic rules and regulations by road users.
While announcing that the ministry had commenced the arrest of motorists who make phone calls when driving or drive without putting on their seatbelts, the transport Commissioner stressed that the lifting of the ban would save lives, enforce discipline and enhance smooth and orderly transportation system in the state.
He said that the enforcement exercise would also enable adequate orientation of a civilized method of traffic regulations in the state, adding that the ministry had trained its personnel on how to discharge their duties professionally without engaging in any form of misconduct.
It would be recalled that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi last year, in response to the persistent complaints from the public over the activities of some people purporting to be working as traffic wardens cum revenue collectors for the State Ministries of Transport and Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority as well as three Local Government Councils in Enugu Metropolis, ordered an indefinite suspension of the collection of fines for traffic offences in the state.
The governor reasoned then that “I cannot sit down here as governor of the state and watch the people being asked to pay such a huge amount of money (N25,000.00) as fine for disobeying traffic rules.”
He equally warned road users against the abuse of traffic rules and regulations in the state because of the ban order – a warning which the commissioner regretted was not eventually heeded to by motorists.
