RSG Urges Partnership On Road Traffic Management

The Rivers State Government has reiterated that road traffic management should be a collective responsibility between the government, corporate organisations and the public.

The Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi made this remark during the presentation of road safety hand help equipment to the Government by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) at the Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt yesterday.

Rt Hon Amaechi, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Transport, Hon George Tolofari said time has come for all hands to be on deck to improve the traffic situation in the state.

He commended Shell for their gesture in carrying out their social responsibility, and called on other multi-national companies to emulate their gesture.

The State Governor also thanked the Management of the Company for all their road traffic programmes aimed at enlightening the road users and pedestrians, stressing that the state had gained a lot from Shell.

He however called on them for regular maintenance of the equipment and appealed for more to ameliorate the road traffic problems in the state.

Also speaking, the Controller General of Rivers State Road Traffic Management Authority (TIMARIV), Dr Nelson Jaja said the agency is poised to deal with any officer who extort money from offenders, saying that such offenders should pay their fines to the Authority and obtain receipt as many challatants and fake traffic officers parade themselves in Port Harcourt.

Dr  Jaja disclosed that a fake TIMARIV officer with fake identity card on uniform was on Monday napped in Port Harcourt, pointing out that they are working in synergy with the police to arrest such impersonators, and also blamed the military as the worst road traffic offenders, and thanked  Shell for the gesture.

Earlier, the Managing Director of SPDC, Mr Mutiu Sunmonu, who was represented by the Logistics Manager, Henry Mogbolu had said their slogan “Safety First” in all their operations is an integral part of the company, adding “it is a way of life and work”, since road safety remained one of the focus areas in their drive to improve the culture of safety within their operations.

According to him, “our provision of road safety equipment is in continuation of our programme of support for the improvement of regulatory road safety risk management in Rivers State”, and noted that the SPDC contribution would help the enforcement officers on the roads to effectively perform their roles, assuring of their commitment to work with government in making a difference on road safety conditions in Rivers State within its transport sector reforms, imploring all private organizations to join and improve road safety.

Equipment presented include 150 High Traffic Cone, 110 Universal Wheel Clamp,  190 handheld traffic batons, six portable breath analyzer and three handheld speed gun.

Collins Barasimeye