By Daniel Tyokua
Strategic stakeholders in FCT traffic management have urged the Minister Mallam Muhammad Bello to enforce ban on motorcycle operators in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
They said the appeal is imperative considering the increasing unwholesome activities of the okada especially at the entry point into the territory.
During the stakeholders meeting in Abuja at the weekend, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in-charge of Lugbe, CSP Uhegbu Ugochukwu said most logjam cases are caused by Okada riders, resulting to road crashes on the highways.
He appealed to the Minister to take stringent measures that will wage war that will force the motorcycle operators to leave roads in Abuja forever, saying the step further support the fight against criminal activities.
Ugochukwu also called on the administration to have a traffic central control unit which should be headed by the SSA Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Comrade Ikharo Attah, “it will help to arrest and prosecute traffic violators”
On his part, the Lugbe Supervisor of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) , Bawa Mukhtar linked attacks on the road to okada riders.
The Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Lugbe, ACC Ohaeri Osondu said they have deployed strategy to reduce traffic gridlock on the airport road by posting personnel to man the road both morning and evening during peak hours.
However, the Director, Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), Dr Abdulateef Bello after inspecting the key routes, issued two weeks to the okada to vacate.
“We give them two weeks while we continue to carry out the exercise of enforcement and monitoring and then removal Of those we see on the highway, after two weeks if they don’t comply , then we will start thinking of how to push the decision to ban”.
Meanwhile, Comrade Ikharo Attah, SSA to FCT Minister on Monitoring Inspection and Enforcement said there are traffic issues and environmental nunsancies from every entry points into communities on Airport road.
He said, “We have intensive trading, and other activities that push people to the road.
“Now that we are having a stronger team and the former Director of Security becoming the new Director of DRTs on the field we are going to get more reinforcement.
“We are going to be doing enumosly here, tongues may likely wag because we are going to be doing a comprehensive work that would last for a long time and people will be asking ‘una never tire’. Sustainability is key , we are going to be coming to get the place clean’ , he said .
