By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Enugu State Ministry of Transport says it is partnering with stakeholders in the sector to solve challenges of transportation and ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic within the state.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Chief Ogbonna Idike, disclosed this to newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday, July 19, 2022.

Idike said that the ministry was fashioning out a Transport Stakeholders Forum to ensure agreeable and robust transport rules and regulations in the state.

According to him,” we want to engage stakeholders on traffic control as well as other transports rules infringement such as beating of traffic lights, wrong parking and loading of vehicles in authorised places and fuel stations among others.”

He said that the Forum would be first of its kind in the state and would involve broad-based stakeholders within the transport sector and concerned individuals in the state.

“It is good that we bring to life, the proposed Transport Stakeholders Forum to help the state government and the ministries fine-tune all its transport rules and regulations as well as engender popular acceptance and compliance.

“The ministry will use the meeting for the proposed Transport Stakeholders Forum to talk on issues of security and the need for all commercial tricycle and mini-buses to abide strictly on the 6a.m. to 9p.m. daily operating directive by the government.

“That all commercial vehicles, tricycles and buses, must have route numbers and any that do not have it; our people should not enter it due to security reasons.

“The ministry wants to involve all stakeholders in the forum, even concerned members of the public, to resolve all transports challenges, answer germane questions bothering residents on the state’s transport sector.

“We want to have a broad look at how the sector can be more effective and meet the people’s yearning in the state,” he said.

The permanent secretary also revealed that over 300 persons would be coming for the proposed Transport Stakeholders Forum meeting on Tuesday, July 26 at the ministry’s headquarters in Independence Layout, Enugu.

He commended the State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for his numerous supports to the ministry in terms of training, provision of logistics and welfare of staff.

He appreciated the state chapters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers; Road Transport Employee Association of Nigeria; the Association of Tricycle Riders Transport Union and motorcycle union, among others for their support to the ministry.

“We have invited the Nigeria Police, the Federal Road Safety Corps and top officials of the state government to grace the occasion and interact with stakeholders for effective two-way communication,” he added.

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