In its determination to ensure free flow of traffic at all roads in Obio Akpor Local Government Area, the Executive Chairman of the Council, Hon. Solomon Abel Eke has taken the fight to illegal markets and motor parks operators, vowing that all reasonable measures would be taken to decongest the roads.
The OBALGA boss who led the decongestion enforcement team to Rumuokoro and Rumuodomaya roads on Wednesday, said there is no going back in their effort to stamp out all the elements whose activities continue to hamper free flow of traffic at areas like Rumuokoro Junction, Oil Mill, Choba and other busy intersections in the local government.
At the Dangote Cement depot located few meters away from the OBALGA Council Secretariat, Hon. Eke warned the Depot Manager that the Council would not hesitate to impound the company’s trucks parked indiscriminately on the road and obstructing traffic. He also issued similar warning to the management of a nearby gas refilling plant.
As the Chairman and the enforcement team advanced towards the ever busy Rumuokoro Roundabout, fear-stricken roadside traders, apparently afraid of the looming impoundment, scurried to cart away their wares, but were reassured by the OBALGA boss that the Council has not come to impound their wares but to ask them to leave the roads and move into the markets.
But that was not after the Chairman warned they would not be lucky the next time the committee comes for the exercise, if they failed to heed the directive.
However, not less than fifteen illegal kiosks erected on the roadsides, were demolished during the exercise as the OBALGA Chairman explained that their presence was not only adding to traffic congestion but also defaces the area.
Addressing journalists after the exercise, Hon. Eke said the perennial congestion of roads in OBALGA has become a source of concern not just to the Council but to the state Governor who gave it as a charge during his swearing-in, to ensure all roads are decongested.
“Illegal markets and motor-parks have become a menace in OBALGA not just contributing to roads congestion but is seen to deface the State and Obio Akpor in particular”, he said, adding that the Council had repeatedly appealed to traders to quit the roads as well as warnings for illegal park operators to do the needful, all to no avail.
“Lot of spaces has been created for traders to do their businesses. The Obio Akpor International Market is there lying fallow. We have the Rumuokoro Market recently built by our Governor. There is also the very large space created by the Council for traders to do their businesses pending when the place will be properly built. When completed, the market will also have a motor-park and abattoir in place”, he said, even as he added that several bodies including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) were engaged in several town hall meetings before the Council decided to commence the enforcement exercise.
Hon. Eke dispelled insinuations in some quarters that traders were being asked to pay as much as N50, 000 to secure shop at the Obio Akpor International Market at Rumuokoro.
“We had meeting here at the Council, starting with the Rumuokoro market, we agreed with prospective traders and I told them to ignore whatever amount anyone must have asked them to pay. I asked them to tell me how much they would be able to pay and we agreed at a fee which is certainly not N50, 000”, he said.
