Traders Attack TIMA-Riv Personnels

Field Officers and men of the Rivers State Road, Traffic Management Authority (TIMA-RIV) were last Friday attacked by traders during their special operation to rid Port Harcourt of street trading.

In a statement signed by the Head of Strategic Planning, F.I. consultant with the TIMA-RIV media consultant, Jude Ndubuisi said the attack took place at Rumuokoro, Rumuola and along Ikwerre Road.

He said that as a result of the attack, all TIMARIV field officers have been withdrawn from the road temporarily to avoid any harm to their person. The incident, according to the statement, has been reported to the police command who have already effected some arrest.

The statement added that TIMA-RIV men and officers would be redeployed once the situation is put under control by the law enforcement agents. He appologised to the members of the public for the long traffic queue which has been caused by the withdrawal of the field officers.

In a related development, an inter-governmental forum involving stakeholders in traffic management has been held by TIMA-RIV recently, with a view to fashioning out the way forward so as to address the traffic problem in the state.

TIMA-RIV media consultant, Jude Ndubuisi disclosed this in an interview with The Tide in his office in Port Harcourt during the week.

He said that the meeting which was organised at   the instance of the Controller-General, TIMA-RIV, Nelson Jaja, was aimed at avoiding friction and to ensure that every body understands what TIMA-RIV is doing.

He said, the meeting was attended by selected inter-governmental agencies like the police, Army,  Navy, Federal Road Safety Commission, Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority, Local Government Councils and others, saying that the meeting is scheduled to be holding once in every month to handle transport related matters.