From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
As part of efforts to ensure safety of drivers and passengers alike at the yuletide seasons and always, Benue State Government’s has set up a parks monitoring, sanitation and implementation team to decongest and relocate illegal parks in Makurdi, the State capital.
The Principal Special Assistant to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Commercial Transportation and Monitoring, Hon Yusuf Suleiman, constituted the committee on Wednesday during a commercial transporters stakeholders meeting on motor parks held at the premises of Benue Links Transport Company, Makurdi.
Suleiman said state government have discovered a surge in the springing up of motor parks at road buffers, a violation which he said should not be seen in the heart of a city.
According to him, the existence of these new parks and some already existing ones has created an unnecessary traffic and causing risk to the lives of citizens.
He also said “We are fast approaching the yuletide season and traffic of commuters is likely to increase. The new locations of motor parks are already an eyesore we can only but imagine what happens when the yuletide traffic start hence, we need to cleanse the motor parks and the road corridors starting from today, here and now.
“Motor parks must be properly arranged and located to operate in an orderly manner with safety standards properly adhered to and ensuring lives and livelihood are safe too.”
He said that the team would ensure sanity around motor parks in the state as it is constituted to decongest and relocate illegal motor parks and also ensure that proper motor parks are constructed.
He said “They are also in charge of making sure that everyone operating on the road is cleared off.
“The team is set up to generally sanitize the commercial transportation sector so they can regulate the springing up of new parks, some which are not qualified to be parks.”
The PSA disclosed that the state Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia is committed to a better, safer and greater Benue State, and is leaving no stone unturned in repositioning the commercial transportation sector.
Stakeholders represented at the meeting were drawn from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Benue State Fire Service, National Union of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) National Union of road transport workers (NURTW), Private Parks Owners, Motorcycle and Tricycle operators (Okada and Keke NAPEP riders), among others.
Speaking during the meeting, stakeholders restated their commitment to abide by the rule and regulations of government to ensure their smooth operations in the state.
The Director Benue State Fire Service, Staff Officer Operations from FRSC, Engr Donald Ikyaaza and SRC Lawal Ishola expressed the commitment of their command and offices to continue to ensure safety of road users as their mandate requires.
Other speakers from NARTO, Alh Garba Japan, Stephen Lawal from NURTW State President TRABS (Keke) operators Suushater Daniel and the Secretary of Benue Motorcyclist Association, (BEMOA), Tserga Terkuma all urged Government to provide appropriate parks for all transporters and also discourage the use of children at check points as it is exposing them to various vices.
They also urged the government to collaborate with security agencies to ensure safety of their members both in Makurdi and others places in the state.
Meanwhile, the Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Godwin Malu, said the state government have discovered that criminals are hobnobbing in such illegal parks where some drivers go in to take alcohol before embarking on journeys.
He said they are committed to checking all illegalities especially the use of young boys of who are supposed to be of school age to block the roads with woods saying “we are here to help you navigate the roads for easy movement.”