According to Mr. Okafor, the committee has noted
with deep concern, the way and manner some vehicle owners, including motorcycle
riders oftentimes flout the local government’s By-lay of Illegal Parking,
deliberately taking the one-way traffic. He gave an example of an owner of a
B.M.W. car who was driving from Texaco Filling Station towards the Motor
Traffic Division, M.T.D., along the express road in Ime-Obi, taking a one-way
traffic which consequently led to the instant killing of a cyclist who was on
his normal side of the road and was riding towards Agbor town. “One way traffic
is an offence all over the world. We enforce it here in the local government to
reduce the number of accidents associated to it. Also, crossing of the pavement
on the dual carriageway by Okada riders has led with lose of lives, sometimes
involving the bike rider and occupants of the vehicle involved. These are some
of the offences that they commit and we are poised to bring the offenders to
book,” he said. Com. Okafor added that through the Ika South Local Government
Council By Law the committee was empowered to impound any vehicle that may be
parked illegally along major streets within Agbor metropolis. These, he said,
include Baleke, Okoh, Ojeifor, Akpeyin, Mariere and Odozi Streets amongst
others. He stated that a fine of two thousand Naira (N2,000.00) is imposed on
those who park their vehicles illegally; while a fine of three thousand naira
(N3,000.00) is imposed on those bike riders who cross the pavements on the
express road.
Still on the area of illegal parking of vehicles,
Com. Okafor added that signposts have been provided to be placed on strategic
locations to warn people of the need to maintain proper parking arrangement. He
however regretted that most of the sign posts have been removed by some unknown
persons who probably are affected by the NO-PARKING order. He prayed the
government to assist in providing more sign posts to enable the task force
carry out its work more effectively. He maintained that the reason why vehicles
are made to park on one side of the road one week and the other side of the
same road the following week is to avoid a situation where shop owners would
start complaining that it is only on their side of the road that vehicles are
made to park. “Most of the roads are on commercial areas. We do not want to
offend the traders by making vehicles to park only within one side of the road
every week. That is why we have to alternate the parking side on weekly basis,”
he told Ika Weekly.
Com. Okafor urged all vehicle owners, including
commercial motorcycle riders and private owners of bikes, to strictly adhere to
traffic rules; as plans have been concluded to take impounded vehicles to the
police station if their owners refuse to come for them at the end of the day.
He used the opportunity to thank members of the task force who are currently
numbering about 40 both in Agbor and Abavo, for doing their work accordingly.
He said that before the end of February 2010, the committee will extend its
tentacles towards the market in Ime-Obi where traffic seems chaotic during
market days.
Leave a Reply