As Illegal Parks, Street Trading Return In PH…

As part of measures to restore the Garden City status of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike,sometime ago, inaugurated a taskforce on street trading and Illegal motor parks.
The taskforce which was headed by a Director General had the mandate to stop operations of illegal street trading and motor parks that littered Port Harcourt City and its environs.
Rumuokoro, Diobu and some parts of Old Port Harcourt township were notorious in terms of illegal motor parks and street trading. These areas were chaotic with all manner of criminal activities being carried out.
However, few days after the establishment of the state taskforce, the menace vanished and orderliness reigned in the city. A drive from Rumuokoro to Mile 3 Park that took over 45 minutes under the then chaotic atmosphere could be achieved in less than 20 minutes.
On street trading in particular, the taskforce was able to eradicate all Illegal activities in the city. Most traders who abandoned their shops in Mile 3 Market in preference to street trading, returned to their shops as those found contravening the street trading laws were arrested and prosecuted.
Dissatisfied by the avalanche of allegations of bribery against officers of the taskforce, Gov Wike disbanded the Bright Amaewhule-led taskforce and promised to constitute another agency to pursue the noble objective of eradicating street trading and illegal motor parks.
However, few months after the dissolution of the state taskforce on street trading and Illegal motor parks, the menace has returned. Virtually all street particularly in Diobu area of Port Harcourt are being decorated with wares of all sorts.
Robert Bassey, a taxi driver, who spoke on the issue said some persons who benefit from the illegal motor parks have viewed the absence of the taskforce as a big opportunity to operate.
Bassey said: “Operators of the illegal motor parks make a lot of money daily. They were chased out of business by the taskforce, so now that the state government has dissolved the outfit, they are fully back to business.
“Not only the operators of the illegal motor parks benefit from the illegality. Take a careful look, you now find out that some private bus stops are also back to the stage. I will not mention names but you will see those begging some commercial bus drivers to stop at certain areas that were not among legal bus stops and after loading you see money being secretly given out in rapped up palms”.
The cab driver described illegal motor parks as a very lucrative business venture run by die-hard individuals or group and that they are always there looking for an opportunity to operate.
He revealed that actions of the government like the taskforce that was set up by Gov Wike drastically reduced their operations.
“I have operated as taxi driver in Port Harcourt for over 30 years and I know their antics. Actions of government like the former taskforce put in place by Gov Wike drastically reduced their operations but did not eradicate the menace.
“What they do is to find ways of incriminating officials in charge such that you illegally allow them to operate or find ways to make government disband them”, he said.
Another commercial bus driver, who identified himself as Bob Newman operates on Rumuokoro- Mile 3 Park route. He blamed park operators in Mile 3 Park for the problem.
“Oga, just enter the Mile 3 Park and you will find out that there is no space for buses and taxis. They have converted the whole big park to Market. So that is why we are parking and loading outside here.
“Imagine Mile 3 Park which is the largest park in Port Harcourt with over 75 per cent of the space converted to market. If we go there now to oppose them, the Government people will say we have come to make problem. So, we shall continue to operate here for our business”, he said.
Another respondent, who simply gave his name as Mr. Mark and an official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW)revealed that most Illegal motor parks are run secretly by some disgruntled officials or members of the transport unions.
“They have ideas about how parks are being run and employ stubborn persons as managers. The union is having this problem, but each time their matter comes for deliberation, they create confusion.
“The only solution is for the Governor to constitute a new taskforce so that they will be chased out of business. Otherwise, more and more of such parks” would spring up.
On the operation of illegal bus stops, Mark said uniformed officers, union members and some community boys are behind such.
At Ojoto-Azikiwe Round About which has turned to a street market few metres from the Ojoto market, Miss Clara Nwuche, who sells vegetables told The Tide that though some of them have shops but that there is more patronage by the roadside than in the market.
“What is the gain sitting in the shop without buyers when those who do not pay for shops make better sales here.
“Some of us on this road come from the villages with our stuffs, they sell them off in two hours’ time and off to the village. The following morning, they return back. They don’t have the money to rent shops in the market,” she said.
Comfort Gigi, another street trader, said “No, we are not operating illegally here. We pay money every day and they allow us operate.
“The law is that we must clean the place after selling. They collect N300 and people with bigger Market pay N500 per day but the law is that we must keep the place clean.
Some residents yearn for the coming of the new taskforce promised by Governor
Wike, while dissolving the bribe-infested former one, promised to constitute a more disciplined outfit.
A public analyst, Boni Bontus, said the public encomium that followed the coming of the former taskforce was an obvious mark of public acceptance.
“Let our able Governor set up another one to continue with the job, otherwise the trend would continue to graduate to what we had even before the coming of Gov Wike’s administration.
“It is not as if those behind these illegal motor parks and street trading don’t know that what they are doing is wrong. You see it is like drug business. The cartels know it is wrong, but the kind of money they make on daily basis,you and I can’t imagine.
“My problem is not with those drivers that are being lured to operate or the poor petty traders that make small, small money to survive with their families, but those behind the cartels. They go home with alot of money and tip some government people to turn away their faces.
“Immediately the cartel members are stopped, the game will be over for everybody involved. I trust Gov Wike.He has thorough knowledge of his environment and I believe that he is up to one good plan. What of course is the time? I think the best time is now”.
He expressed the need for the engagement of persons of very credible character to man the new taskforce so that they would not fall prey to the antics of the cartels. According to him, some persons in Government are part of the cartels and know how to get through when their members have issues with the authority.
“If men of character are involved in the running of the new taskforce, it would be difficult to bribe them and make mess of this lofty idea of the state government.
The roads are getting tighter by the day and it is obvious that with the rush that is associated with the Yuletide, the problem would be more compounded.
With the commendable efforts of the present administration led by Gov Wike in road constructions, particularly the coming of more new flyover bridges, one can feel the serenity of the much-expected Garden City.
The disorderliness and chaos being promoted by the surging illegal motor parks and street trading in Port Harcourt and its environs, appear to be contradicting the lofty efforts of the state government.

By: Chris Oluoh