The Imo State House of Assembly has urged the state government to enhance, reposition traffic, management, regulations, in Imo state, following a motion sponsored by Hon Sam Osuji of Isiala Mbano state constituency.
He recalled that Imo State Traffic Management Agency (lSTMA) was established in 2011 through the Imo State House of Assembly Law No 14 of 2011, as a step towards ensuring orderliness and safety within the state transportation system, with the mandate to manage, regulate and enforce traffic laws and regulations in the state.
He said given the sensitive nature of traffic management and responsibilities that ISTMA, as a government agency, had been saddled with, it had become very expedient for the agency to be repositioned in order to deliver optimally.
He noted that Governor Uzodimma had constructed good, quality roads across the three zones of the state to ease transportation, but that the growing number of vehicle in the state had thrown a big challenge to ISTMA.
Hon Osuji disclosed that the agency had the capacity to create substantial employment opportunities within the state, through the recruitment of traffic officers, administrative personnel and support staff, thereby reducing the unemployment rate in the state.
He said that a well enhanced and positioned ISTMA would have the capacity to enforce Imo State government’s directives regarding plying on one-way routes, truck movement on designated periods, non-violation of traffic rules and regulations etc.
He further said that a well repositioned ISTMA should be a able to carry out immediate batch by batch workshop/training for commercial drivers to enhance their knowledge of traffic laws, safety registration, road signs, defensive driving technology, proper picking and dropping of passengers etc. and another workshop/training for ISTMA personnel on the management of traffic lights and automation of its activities.
“ISTMA should be directed to erect bold and visible sign posts at designated areas as bust stops, those that would connect and direct Imo citizens and Nigerians entering the state by road on various strategic locations and erect bold and visible sign posts that identify one-way driving. They should embark on revenue enforcement drive of fines and penalties for traffic violations”, Hon Osuji concluded.
