TIMARIV Reads Riot Act To Motorists In PH

The Rivers State Road Traffic Management Authority (TIMARIV) HAS said it would no longer be business as usual for motorists who violate traffic offence in the state.
The chief traffic controller of TIMARIV, Mr. Confidence Eke dropped this hint during a press briefing held at their Head Office in Port Harcourt last Thursday.
Mr. Eke, who highlighted the structural operations of the Agency said it was set up under the Rivers State Road Traffic Law No. 6 of 2009, which gave them authority to enforce the law, and that they are operating within the ambits of the law which states “To control traffic and enforce state laws relating to the safe use of vehicles on the road, deter street trading on the roads, conduct highly visible day and night traffic patrols to enforce traffic rules and regulations and clear the highway of obstructions”, amongst many other functions as stated in the law.
According to him, it had been the practice of the outfit since its inception that any driver who violates traffic order be booked, such vehicle impounded and the driver issued a teller within which he would use in paying the stipulated fine into designated banks, not cash, but that people are speculating that some TIMARIV Officers received cash bribes and let go such offenders.
He warned motorists whose vehicles were impounded to desist from any short cut by offering cash inducement to any TIMARIV officer, adding that in law, both the giver and the receiver are culpable of the offence and are liable to punishment.
The TIMARIV boss explained that if such offender is not satisfied with the offence committed he or she seeks redress in court 1b at the Rivers State Judiciary, pointing out that sometimes offenders wrote for waivers and they were considered on compassionate ground by reducing the fines, and condemned those who after offering bribe later make public outcry.
Mr. Eke disclosed that two zonal controllers and lot of other officers of TIMARIV have been dismissed for various offences, reiterating that the authority had zero tolerance for bribery, corruption and extortion.
He also hinted that in all their six operational zones in the state, there are public complain boxes and inscriptions warning the motoring public or road traffic offenders not to bribe or pay cash as fines to officers of the outfit when arrested, adding that management is doing everything to tackle that problem.
and non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) would soon curtail such unwholesome activities on the road by marking the intersections among others to ease traffic flow in Port Harcourt metropolis.
According to him, TIMARIV is working to ensure safety and free flow of traffic on our roads, and enjoined all drivers to obey traffic marshals and all traffic signs on the road, pointing out that the public should report any misconduct of TIMARIV officials by dealing the numbers; 08158491950 or 080158491954, and further solicited the support of the media to achieve their sex goals in the state.