Calabar: The Cross River Government has prohibited Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from conducting road operations across the state, restricting their duties to office-based activities.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the announcement was made by the governor following protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators who voiced concerns over high ticket prices, excessive fines, and alleged harassment by enforcement teams.
The governor, after consulting with key stakeholders in the transport sector, introduced several changes to alleviate the burden on drivers and bring order to the state’s transportation system. The daily ticket fee was slashed from N850 to N500, with penalties for not purchasing the ticket reduced to N10,000. Additionally, traffic-related fines are now reduced by 50 percent and must be paid only into designated Cross River Government accounts. Tricycle riders will see their daily ticket fee reduced from N1,200 to N500, although their operations are restricted to ending at 6 p.m. daily, with night operations banned.
Further measures include the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) focusing on vehicle registration and the sale of tickets at approved rates, with enforcement officers required to wear proper uniforms and have verifiable identification. The Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA) has been directed to limit its activities to statutory traffic management duties.
Significantly, the governor announced that commercial bus drivers and tricycle riders are exempt from purchasing tickets on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, with these directives set to take effect from March 9. However, some commercial drivers, speaking to NAN, expressed concerns that these announcements did not address certain enforcement activities by TRAMRA, such as the ‘no parking order’ for drivers picking up or dropping off passengers.
Johnson Ade, a commercial driver, stressed the need for an official release detailing the traffic infractions and corresponding fines to prevent misuse of the directive by fraudulent individuals posing as regulatory officials. Meanwhile, Mr. Sunday Dennis, Metropolitan Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), indicated plans to convene a meeting to review the governor’s statement critically.
It is noteworthy that the government’s decision to suspend all forms of transport tickets in the state was prompted by a series of protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators.