Checkmating Commercial Bus Operations In Imo

By Sampson Uhuegbu, Owerri

The present transportation system in Owerri is decidedly nothing to write home about in all ramifications. I mean, it has been completely bastardized. The operators whom we expect to be discipline- considering the fact that transportation business remains their sustainable means of livelihood, appear to be touting it. Even as the present administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma has not been too harsh on the commercial Bus- Imo operators does not warrant a sheer insubordination and naughtiness to traffic wardens and other road users.

It has become worrisome that these drivers hardly clear off the road before they pick passengers especially at the dreadful Bus-Stops which include Imo State University junction, Wetheral Road junction, Assumpta Cathedral roundabout, Hospital Road junction, Aba/Naze road junction and other strategic areas that require utmost cautiousness of motorists.

Before now, the major means of transportation in Owerri was commercial motorcycle; also known as “Inaga”. Some call “Okaka” or “Machine”. It was coveying people from one surbub to another; even those domiciling in the outskirts of the motropolis of the State, could get to the city with motorcycles without being disturbed by the security officers.

Okada riding business went a long way before the ex Governor Ikedi Ohakim banned its operations at some areas of Owerri, the state capital. In replacement of motorcycle operations over increased cases of robbery and accidents, Tricycle- otherwise known as “Keke ” was introduced by the state government as another means of transportation for which the former Okada riders switched over to and made their daily living therein.

The banned Okada riders were same people that bounced back to Tricycle riding commercially for their family upkeep. They started on a clean plate but unfortunately midway, hoodlums hacked the business and gave it an urgly face, brought a bad name to it.

Vehicle accidents continued to increase, kidnappers and other criminals hid under the guise of “Keke Operators” to perpetrate their crimes at that time. As a result of that, Chief Ikedim Ohakim was forced to stop its operation and allowed “Keke” to replace the prohibited means of transportation during his “Clean and Green” administration.

From the year 2011 through 2015, tricycle remained in place till in 2016, when the former Governor Rochas Okorocha – through his Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Lasbery Okafor- nyanwu, announced the Rescue Mission government’s plan to phase out movements of tricycles operations from plying the metropolitan areas of the state.

It started with the invitation of the operators at the Heroes Square where Owelle Rochas Okorocha addressed them and made the promise give two thousand (2000) pieces of Passat Wagon cars to them on the reason of achieving his Urban renewal project in Owerri.

Fortunately, his plan to ban the tricycles succeeded just because he provided a substitute for the disengaged drivers to fall back on.

This gave rise to the introduction of the “Bus- Imo” in Owerri today. Over ten thousand (10,000) of these commercial buses across the state, seem to have caused the Passat Wagon cars to go into extinction. Reason is that Owerri residents prefer to board the eight (8) seater bus- Imo for their comfort.

This writer observed that the wonderfully increasing number of these mini buses in Owerri is that all the Artisans, Civil servants, Students are into it. Also, it has been observed that commercial drivers from Aba, Umuahia, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu states come to Owerri for their daily transportation.

This is an indications that the business thrives here and it requires to be traded with a high sense of caution among the operators.

Sadly, some commercial bus drivers in Owerri have continued to exhibit recklessness in driving, stubbornness to security officers, rude attitude towards other road users, inexperience and carelessness in their operations. Their horrible acts of picking and dropping- off passengers at the middle of the roads have become embarrassing. Even when they violate road traffic orders; and they are gently approached by wardens to know why they failed to obey rules, the drivers would rather resort to insulting the wardens instead of plead for apology. This is bad!

The Sheared Prosperity government of Senator Hope Uzodimma should mandate officials of the Environmental Transformation Committee (ENTRACO) to swing into action and start enforcing laws in the transportation sector of the state. The operators have taken for granted, the freehand nature of Governor Uzodimma not to be strict on them. No wahala. But let me say here that one can not challenge the ENTRACO officers during the administration of former Governor Ohakim which was headed by Willie Amadi as its General Manager. That period, I saw sanity in the system. There was a decorum, orderliness, humility, obedience, respectfulness and responsibleness among the Keke operators who now turned Bus drivers.

Furthermore, it is clear that no government wants its citizens to suffer hardship- hence the need to be discipline in all our day to day activities in order to avert unforseen circumstances that could be detrimental to our lives. Many have gone just for having not paid a careful heed to the directives of those in authority. Government should beam her beacon on the Bus Imo drivers to checkmate their operations and also penalize those among them that violate order. It is an indisputable fact that the transportation sector has helped in the socioeconomic and political development of the state which therefore has to be re-organized, sanitized and sustained by the present administration of Senator Hope Uzodimma.

The immediate- past Commissioner for Transportation; Barrister Rex Anunobi, has come, performed and left the gallery without making any visible impact in that Ministry. Chief Anunobi is one of the loyalists of Governor Uzodimma. It was generally expected of him to transform the ministry but Chief Anunobi was mischievously deceived by the so-called consultants and those that termed themselves “Stakeholders in the system”.

He spent his appointment only on monthly meetings with the commercial motorists in the state still nothing could be shown as his achievements from the gathering. Ndi Imo looked forward to seeing Chief Anunobi to introduce innovation that could bring a reformation in the sector.

Imo transportation ministry requires a visionary commissioner that would look beyond the juiciness of the ministry and bring out its hidden potentialities that would yield more revenues to the state. Imo Ministry of Transportation was rubbished by Owelle Rochas Okorocha and his cronies and it had lagged behind for long; and now in dare need to be pushed to enviable heights.

Therefore, leadership of Road transport workers has a lot to do in order to salvage the decaying sector being messed up by “Hackers”. Everything should not be left on government alone to do. That is why the present administration hinges its political philosophy on “Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Recovery” as strategic steps to rebuild the state- which entails all hands must be on desk.

They should penalize those among them that disobey regulations as such would serve as lesson to others. Also, the headship ought to urge its members to be plying all the roads in Owerri rather than concentrating only the major roads in the city. For instance, it is difficult for a passenger at the Concorde Hotel axis to get a bus or Taxi to Wetheral Road, Amakohia and some places in Owerri unless one charters the bus.

For this reason, the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma should not be pushed to the wall, perhaps, to start punishing defaulters mercilessly. Nobody wishes to witch-hunt the Imo commercial bus drivers but they should not step on the toes of the present government.

The bus- Imo operators should organize themselves in an ordely manner because they are now the challenge other road users are facing as far as major roads in Owerri are concerned. Constituting nuisance on the road is not the best is not the best for them.

It would be advisable for them to call one another to order now before government descends on them with harsh policies that may be favourable to them.

Also, Governor Uzodimma should build motor parks to control the rate of illegal parking at the strategic Government House roundabout and other areas converted to illegal bus stops. Better still, the Okigwe and Arugo parks should be renovated with a state-of-the-art facilities for the usage of these commercial motorists.

Moreso, ones should be constructed at the Wetheral junction, Control Post, World Bank, Hospital road junction and other areas as this measure would address the issues of accident and traffic jam that is characterize with the roads in Owerri.

Let me use this opportunity to commend Governor Hope Uzodimma for his sterling performance on roads construction through his ever working Commissioner for Works, Hon. Ralph Nwosu.

Behold! the traffic lights mounted at the Warehouse junction cum Whetheral/ Mbaise road are now accurate on timing. The roads users now move hitch-freely devoid of being held on queue for hours as a result of faulty lights.

So, let all hands be on deck to give the transportation sector in Imo a new look.