Suleiman Anyalewechi, Aba
In a what may appear as signalling the commencement of the formal enforcement of laws against street trading and other sundry abuses on infrastructural facilities across Abia state, no fewer than 2000 vehicles owners in Aba on Thursday January 25, 2024 had their vehicles plate numbers removed by men and officials of the Abia State Task Force on Infrastructure Abuse.
The vehicles affected in the operation that saw the Task officials’ storm many of the major Roads and Streets of the commercial hub of the state were those adjudged to have been parked on double lanes, as well as some other unauthorized places, thereby obstructing free flow of vehicular and human traffics.
NewsCritic online reports that relevant authorities had December last year embarked on an enlightenment campaign concerning their readiness to compel a strict observation of all laws guiding the use of public facilities in all parts of the state beginning January 2024.
The seized vehicles plate numbers and other items, according to the charge sheet posted on the windscreens of the affected vehicles are to be released after the payments of the sum of ten thousand naira by each of the vehicles’ owners.
In the same vein, it was authoritatively gathered that the enforcement of other laws particularly those against the display and or conduct of business activities on drainages, general street trading and other related businesses outside of markets and other designated areas will soon follow.
At the operational office of the Taskforce at Aba Town Hall, headquarters of the Aba South Local council, most of the affected vehicles owners were seen making frantic efforts regarding how to effect, the release of their vehicles plate numbers.
Although no official comment could be volunteered by the top hierarchy of the Task Force as at the time of reporting, however, an official said they are under the directives of the Abia state government to enforce compliance, warning Aba residents to avoid packing vehicles on double lanes and other unauthorized places.
The official who craved anonymity also vowed that no amount of blackmail, threat and or intimidation would deter them from strictly enforcing compliance.
