By Onyekachi Eze
Piqued by the proliferation of motor parks in Imo State, especially within the Owerri capital city, the State Legislature, yesterday placed a ban on those operating without Government approval.
The prohibition of illegal motor parks emanated from a motion, moved by the Member for Aboh Mbaise State Constituency, Hon. Chief Eddy Obinna, seconded by his Isu counterpart, Hon Ngozi Obiefule.
Chief Eddy Obinna in his debate said the motion was born out of his findings from oversight functions, which he said as the House Committee Chairman on Transport, he discovered the operation of many illegal motor parks across the Owerri metropolis.
He said irrespective of Government designated parks, some persons still operate a shallow one on their own discretion without recourse to the State Government.
He pointed out that the major four parks as approved by the Government were the Mbaise park, Arugo park, Okigwe park, and the Warehouse Park, hence decried that many shanties like the Douglas, Ama-Jk, Fire Service, Douglas by old road loading bays were never the main parks.
While putting a re-awakening call on the State Ministry of Transport to rise to their responsibility in restoring sanity in the transport system, Eddy Obinna added that activities of those parks constitute nuisance.
Hon Obinna who also doubles as the Deputy Chief Whip of the House opined that with an influx of returnees and tourists in the State this festive season, the loading bays should be streamlined, in order to curb traffic jam on Owerri streets.
“Ministry of transport must rise and do the needful in maintaining order and sanity”.
In a related development, Ochiudo pin-pointed that having public functions on the Streets should be discouraged, as it breeds disorder, lawlessness and heavy gridlock.
Prayers of the motion reads,
“Whereas the Imo State Government through the Ministry of Transport has outlined and established Motor Parks at various designated areas within the State;
“Aware, that the specifications setting up parks are in line with proper verification on the security implications of establishing motor parks, for the interest of both the motorists, and entire Imolites;
“Observed that the Government has identified the existence of illegal parks outside the Government approved motor parks which have always constituted nuisance to the environment and the motorists;
“Further observed that touts, criminals, dissident elements hide under these illegal motor parks to perpetuate evil and other criminal activities like robbing innocent citizens and motorists as well as causing heavy and unwanted obstruction on our roads and highways and unleash undeserved mayhem to innocent citizens and motorists”.
Member for Njaba, Hon Uju Onwudiwe submitted that if the activities of the illegal park operators are not checkmated, there might be high cases of pick pocketing, robbery and one chance within the Christmas and New year period.
Onwudiwe posited that there is no community without church or school field to organize a program, rather than causing discomfort to the road users.
Hon Johnson Iheonukara Duru in his own assertion said, irrespective of attendant risk involved, people operating those parks are miscreants, who don’t even pay IGR to the State Government.
For Hon Ngozi Obiefule of Isu, she accused Busimo drivers of constituting another level of road nuisance by loading and offloading of passengers while on motion.
After listening to the debates, the Speaker, Rt. Hon Kennedy Ibeh-led House resolved as follows;
“Be it resolved by this Honourable House that, these illegal motor parks scattered in various parts of the State be totally removed for a friendly environment and for the safety of Imolites.
“Be it also resolved by this Honourable House to urge the Ministry of transport to rise up to this menace to create and/or restore order in our transport and commuter operations in Imo State.
“Be it further resolved that this House urge the Executive Governor of Imo State, Dist. Sen. Hope Uzodinma to direct Ministry for transport to ensure all festivals, ceremonies and events this yuletide season to be held at public places like school fields, event centers and other designated public spaces and not on the roads as using the roads for functions causes gridlock that results to loss of much hours”.
