As RSG Begins Enforcement, NURTW Hails Wike’s Ban On Illegal Markets, Parks

As the Rivers State Government officially commences enforcement of the ban on street trading, illegal motor parks, taxi ranks and mechanic workplaces in the state, today, stakeholders have lauded the government for taking proactive steps to rein in rule of law and order in the state.
One of the key stakeholders is the powerful National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), which described the decision to enforce the ban as a laudable step that would bring sanity and guarantee safety of travellers in the state.
A statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, last Saturday, said that, “with effect from Monday, January 4, 2021, the state government will begin the enforcement of the ban on street trading, illegal motor parks, taxi ranks and mechanic work places”.
It warned all those involved in such illegal activities along the streets and other public places to desist forthwith as defaulters would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
The release further directed law enforcement agencies and other relevant government agencies to arrest and prosecute defaulters.
The statement reads, “This is to inform the general public that with effect from Monday, January 4, 2021, the state government will begin the enforcement of the ban on trading, illegal motor parks, taxi ranks and mechanic workplaces.
“All those involved in these illegal activities along our streets and other public places are advised to desist forthwith or face the full wrath of the law.
“Law enforcement agencies and relevant government bodies have been directed to arrest and prosecute defaulters”, it added.
Reacting to the decision by the Rivers State Government to enforce the ban on street trading, illegal motor parks and illegal mechanic workshops in the state, the Abali Park branch Chairman of NURTW, Comrade Stephen Orlu, said that the state government’s decision was a laudable step that would bring sanity, guarantee safety of travellers and also improve on the revenue base of the state.
Orlu stated this in an interview with The Tide, last Saturday, in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
He frowned at a situation, particularly in Port Harcourt, the state capital, were motor parks are scattered everywhere, with nobody checkmating the operators of the illegal parks.
“In fact, commercial transport operators, including those from other states, come here, operate and evade tax and go scotch free. They don’t pay any revenue to the state government.
“Well, we have held a meeting with the Commissioner for Transport. He told us that this Abali Park and Mile 3 Motor Park will operate as central motor parks. The Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, also emphasised in his New Year Broadcast to the state that the government would, from Monday, begin to enforce the ban on such illegal motor parks.
“If the state government do that and the board of internal revenue wants to generate revenue from motor operators, that will be very good because it will generate huge amount of money to the state.
“As at now, inside this Abali Park, all the Aba-bound commercial buses, and other buses coming from other states don’t enter here. They have turned all the bus stops to their motor parks”, Orlu lamented.
He noted that if the state government would go ahead and enforce the ban on illegal motor parks, it would complement the urban renewal efforts of the Wike-led administration, and also guarantee the safety to travellers and their goods, especially in this era of insecurity across the country.
The NURTW boss hailed Wike for the massive road infrastructure projects across the state, stressing that all parts of Port Harcourt, have become the huge construction site, with flyover bridges and roads that would transform the city to the envy of most other cities in the country.
He emphasised that the massive infrastructure projects have marked Wike out as a governor who loves his state.

By: Chris Oluoh