RVHA To Streamline TIMARIV Operations

Following outcry at the Public Hearing on the bill to amend the Rivers State Traffic Law 2009, the Chairman of the House Committee on Transport, Hon. Victor Ihunwo, has assured that the lawmakers would streamline fines for offenders.

Hon. Ihunwo said the amendment to the Traffic Law became imperative because of several lapses in the principal law which the current amendment is determined to address.

The Transport Committee chairman who stated this Wednesday during a public hearing on a bill to amend the State Traffic law No. 6 of 2009, to regulate Road traffic, said the forum was an opportunity for interaction in the process of improving the wellbeing of Rivers people.

He said the gathering would help the committee to find out what will be best for Rivers people and urged the public to make useful contributions.

In his presentation a representative of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Mr. Emperor Ogbuka, urged the Assembly to redefine the operations of TIMARIV as the present body has been grossly abused.

Mr. Ogbuka lamented a situation where TIMARIV would recruit agents who adopt all sorts of tricks to exploit motorists in the state, citing a situation where the establishment impounded a vehicle for failure of the driver to wear seat belt and the owner made to pay between N20,000 to N30,000.

He called on the lawmakers to caution the outrageous fines charged by TIMARIV to enable the public accord them the respect they deserve and the multiplicity of task forces that harass motorists.

Comptroller General of TIMARIV, Mr. Nelson Jaja, said the Authority should be a service-oriented organi-sation but the law establishing it, confers punishment.

Mr. Jaja noted that despite the punishment, nature of the Authority had not been able to control the madness on the roads, acknowledging that some of its officials abuse the functions of the body.

A representative of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Chima Igwe, solicited for inclusion of various fines for traffic offenders, stressing that TIMARIV as presently constituted has a one sided penalty whereas the law should stipulate that any officer that contravenes should also be liable.

Mr. Igwe argued that the establishment is today seen as a revenue agent rather than the good services the public expects from it and advised that penalty and fines should be reasonable considering the economic realities of the time.

Mr. Sanye Antioch of the Ministry of Transport called for International best practices in traffic management in the state.

The zonal legal officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. B.O. Nwanani, said the law should exclude person below 18 years and above 70 years from being issued driving licence and suggested inter agency relationship.