Yuletide: Enugu Govt Moves To Check Traffic Logjam, Meets Stakeholders

Enugu State Government says it is taking proactive steps to control traffic gridlocks associated with festive seasons in the state.

The Commissioner For Transport, Dr Obi Ozor, stated this on Monday during an Inter-agency meeting with relevant stakeholders at the Ministry’s conference hall.

The Commissioner called on all traffic agencies, including Chairmen of the council areas to work together to ensure effective and efficient traffic management in the state during Christmas celebrations.

According to him, “the partnership would ensure free flow of traffic on all Enugu roads from now till the new year.

He said the ministry had set up an inter-ministerial committee that had all the relevant stakeholders, including the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA),

Others are, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN)

He said the move was to have zero percent accident rate during the yuletide as well manage security concerns during the period, working proactively.

“Provide affordable and efficient transportation.” he said.

The Commissioner said that all hands should be on deck to ensure security and traffic free in the state.

He stated that there had been measures put in place to engage 20 volunteer Traffic Wardens each from the 17 LGAs who would undergo normal training to help decongest traffic impediment in the state.

Dr. Ozor noted that the Ministry had extended the work hours for the State Traffic Controllers known as MOT from from 6am to 11pm for the next twenty days.”

In a remark, the Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) and Chairman of Nkanu East LGA, Hon. Sydney Edeh, stated that he would summon an emergency meeting of all the council Chairmen where they would come up with measures to curb traffic-jam at that level of government.

Edeh applauded the proactive measures taken by the state government to ensure traffic decongestion.

For his part, the Chairman of Udi LGA, Hon. Philip Nnamdi Okoh, highlighted areas within his Council that should be opened this time to ensure smooth traffic flow  Such as 4-coners and Enugu-Nineth mile roads.

He appealed to the governor to “open one side of the New Market junction up to Ninth Mile Road which according to him, had been completed but the contractor (RCC) seemed not being interested in opening it.

In their separate responses, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State represented by ACP Hope Isiani, the representative of FRSC, Mr. T. A. Sakumbi, Enugu State Director of FEMA, Engr. A. O. Adepoju, SEMA representative, Mrs. Chinasa Mbah, Chairmen of NURTW and RTEAN, Mr. Friday Okenwa and Comr. Chidiebere Aniako respectively explained how they had planned to ensure traffic free in the celebration period.

They promised to collaborate with the State Government to ensure that both security of life and property including the traffic movement would be enhanced as Christmas approached.