OYRTMA Clears Sabo Road, Ibadan In-Line With OYSG Sustainable Traffic Management Agenda

….Reads Riot Act On Indiscriminately Parked Vehicles Along the Route

The Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA) has stormed the Sabo Area of Ibadan Metropolis to clear all indiscriminately parked vehicles and wares abandoned on the road causing perpetual and avoidable traffic loggerheads that results in untold hardship on commuters and all road users along the route.

The enforcement which was carried-out in conjunction with Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

The enforcement is sequel to several public complaints and official petitions to the Authority, coupled with multiple road crashes that has for some time characterized travel experience of motorists in and around the axis.

While addressing newsmen during and after the exercise, the Executive Chairman Oyo state Road Management Authority, (OYRTMA) Mogaji Akin Fagbemi explained that the move is not to spite any persons, tribe or religion but to ensure the safety of all road users within the entire territory of Oyo State particularly along the Sabo-Mokola road.

In his words, the OYRTMA Boss said: “This exercise is aimed at enthroning sanity on the Sabo-Mokola route. It is specifically to ensure the safety of all road users, minimize travel time and eliminate road crashes that has recently surged along the route because of the indiscriminate parking and laissez-faire attitude of some vehicle owners around the area. We have received multiple public complaints through official letters by concerned residents in Sabo itself as well as numerous social media calls to sanitize the area.

We had explored our Community Traffic Management System (CTMS) over some months in the area with trained residents of the area empowered, alongside our Regular Officers and Men to manage traffic, impound erring vehicles and ensure sanity on the road. Through this, we had sufficiently sensitizedvehicle/tricycle/motorcycle owners as well as business owners around the axis to shorn the practice of indiscriminate parking and road encroachment.

However, we discovered that the actualized result with regards to compliance to extant road traffic laws of Oyo State along the Sabo-Mokola route was far bellow our expectations. More hardship is being inflicted on road users on daily basis and traders had taken over the road corridor almost up to the median. We further engaged the leaders of the communities dwelling within the vicinity and yet, most vehicle owners and traders remained adamant. It therefore became critical for our newly established tactical traffic operatives in conjunction with officials of the Oyo State Ministry of Environment and other relevant stakeholders to execute the operation you all witnessed today. Apparently, it is not aimed at any particular tribe, religion or persons.

It became necessary to ensure the safety of all road users particularly as we, at OYRTMA, are now transitioning to a more Sustainable System of traffic management in-line with the Sustainable Development Masterplan of the State Government under Omituntun 2.0 led by His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, The Executive Governor of Oyo State”, Fagbemi said.

Fagbemi further cited various sections of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority Law 2009 which has been persistently infracted upon by motorists along the route without any signs of change or compliance.

In his words, “We must make it abundantly clear that Laws in Oyo State are applicable to all places within the territory of the State, including road traffic laws. Regardless of whose ox is gored, the law is always blind and we are not deterred by any factors whatsoever to enforce extant road traffic laws of the State. However, we shall continue to engage the people through multiple sensitization and awareness initiatives on road safety matters”.

The OYRTMA Boss added that “consequent upon the approval of His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde FNSE, plans are on to further train and retrain operatives in its employ for better and effective service delivery especially as the State moves towards sustainable development agenda under the incoming Omituntun 2.0”, Fagbemi concluded.

In her address the permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs Modupe Adeleye said it is important for government to sustain the enforcement exercise inorder to make the state clean.

She advised Sabo community and all the people of the state to ensure they maintain cleanliness and to shun illegal parking at the roadside.

The enforcement exercise was carried out in Sabo Area, Mokola Roundabout and Agodi Gate.