By Agbo Amauche, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Government under the leadership of Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has threatened to arrest operators of illegal motor parks within Abakaliki metropolis over their refusal to comply to order of relocating to the Abakaliki Central motor Park or any other Government approved motor parks so as to reduce road obstructions and traffic jams in the State.
Recall that the State Government had earlier place ban on the use of unauthorized motor parks in the State since the inception of this present adminstration.
Addressing newsmen shortly after a meeting with some of the transporters in Abakaliki, the Senior Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on Transport Hon. Frederick Nwogba frowned on the non compliance of the people to the State Government directives and gave Thursday this week as deadline saying henceforth anybody caught in any illegal motor parks would be arrested and as such impounded his vehicle while the owner pays fine of one hundred thousand naira to the State Government approved bank account to serve as deterrent to others.
The Governor’s aide warned the transporters especially those operating as town service to comply to the directive as the State Government would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the order was implemented accordingly.
He further cautioned tricyclists (keke ridders) to desist from loading in an unauthorized places as the Ministry of Works And transport would not speer anyone sabotaging the State Government directives.
Nwogbaga restated the commitment and determination of the State Government to create enough bus stops towards ensure sanity in the transport system of the State and urged the transporters to exercise patience as the processes are on the pipeline.
Reacting on the development, the chairman of town service Igbeagu Mr Idoko Christian who said they wouldn’t disobey the State Government order, appealed to Governor Francis Nwifuru to consider some of them who are into town service, lamenting that their customers have ran away because of the sufferings involved in going to Central park from inside the town, adding that the development has subjected them to untold hardship.
He further urged the State Government to create bus stops within the capital city where they would be picking and dropping their passengers and give them more time to sensitize their customers.
Also, Mr Osondu Iroh who observed that town service drivers operated in other States in the Country, suggested that the State Government instead of forcing them to move to the Central park should rather directed them to paint their vehicles in Ebonyi State colour for easy recognition and allow them to operate to reduce their plights.