By Agbo Amauche, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State Government under the leadership of Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has ordered commercial drivers operating at Nwankwko street and vanco junction respectively to immediately relocated to Ocho-Udo park to reduce traffic jam within the capital city.
Recall that the State Government had earlier directed commercial drivers in the State to relocate to the Abakaliki central park but recalcitrant operators failed to comply to the directive.
Addressing newsmen in Abakaliki, the senior special assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on transport Chief Frederick Nwogbaga said the essence of the order for the commercial drivers to relocate to Ocho- Udo park was to ensure sanity in the State.
Chief Nwogbaga who warned the drivers from going against the directive of the State Government, noted that his office would stop at nothing in ensuring the order was strictly carried out, saying henceforth any vehicle found in the unauthorized parks would be confiscated and the driver be made to face the full weight of law to serve as deterrent to others.
He further warned tricyclists ( keke riders) against operating in the major high ways and expressed the preparedness of the State Government to create bus stops in the capital city to enhance free flow of vehicular and human movements.
The SSA to the Governor while insisting that the commercial drivers loading Iboko, Onueke and Nwezenyi from the capital city must relocated to Ocho, Udo park, enjoined travelers going to those locations to always enter vehicles at the park for the interest and overall development of the State.
On his part, the State Commissioner for works and transport Engr. Stanley Lebechi Mbam warned the commercial motor operators against taking law into their hands and insisted that they must relocate to the State Government approved motor parks to improve the State transport system.
In an interview with some of the operators including Mr Nweko Mmaduabuchi who is the chairman of shuttle bus drivers Nwezenyi branch and Mr Friday Awoke among others said they are ready to relocate to the Ocho- Udo park but expressed worry over lack of passengers and appealed to the State Government to give them more time so as to use the opportunity to inform travelers that the park is now in use and needs to be patronized.
Our correspondent reports that the SSA to the Governor on transport Chief Frederick Nwogbaga who led his team of taskforce on enforcement confiscated over three vehicles in the various illegal parks and ordered the owners to go and pay fine in the State Government approved bank or made to face the full weight of the law.