Kogi State House of Assembly has decried the activities of Kogi State Transport Management Authority (KOTRAMA) insisting that their activities has continued to infringe on fundamental human rights of the good people of Kogi State.
Raising a motion of urgent importance in the House, the House of Assembly member representing Olomaboro constituency, Hon Anthony Ujah enumerated how the officials of KOTRAMA have been engaging in extorting vehicle owners and infringing on their fundamental human rights of Kogi people.
“The House has empowered the KOTRAMA Officer’s as new marshals to sensitize the road ushers on proper usage of road and enforcement, control traffic at intersections and roundabouts, to help school children at Zebra crossings and to help accidents victims and clear off the road accident debris.
” Painfully, to the greatest surprise of the unsuspecting public, the ‘ traffic officers became dreadful, leaving their core mandates and began to unleash mayhem on road users for flimsy violation of traffic rules, exhibiting flagrant display of unwholesome practices and high level compromise for extortion and bribery from unsuspecting motorists and commuters. At some instance, they were accused of arresting motorists and commuters at will. In some cases beat up their prey for not meeting their demands without contravening known traffic laws, They were also accused of having their cell office at the Ganaja junction”.
He prayed that the house barred KOTRAMA officers from beating up their prey, extortion of money and bribes collection and stop direct financial transactions with motorists and commuters.
The Chief Whip of the House, Hon Ahmed Dahiru seconded the motion stating that the activities of KOTRAMA in the state has rather created more traffic problems in the state to solving them.
The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Mathew Kolawale in his contribution also gave a vivid account of how a traditional ruler from his constituency was molested and all efforts by him to intervene was rebuffed by KOTRAMA officials.
After much contributions by other members of the House, the House resolved to summon the Commissioner and Permanent Secretary of the ministry of Transportation, Chairman KOTRAMA, Chairman Kogi travellers to give insight to the House on the activities of KOTRAMA in the state.
End