Police and other security agencies have been urged to withdraw checkpoints at the Onitsha end of the River Niger Bridge to ease the gridlock caused to the motoring public.<\/p>\n
Public Affairs Analyst, Chima Christian,\u00a0 made the call in Awka on Sunday while reacting to the numerous complaints of traffic congestion at the bridge.<\/p>\n
Christian said this has become imperative, given the increase in vehicular traffic into the South East as a result of people returning home for Christmas and New Year celebrations.<\/p>\n
The Good Governance Advocate called on the Government’s of Anambra and Delta States to prevail on the security agencies to temporarily withdraw the services of their operatives deployed on \u201cstop and search\u201d operations at both ends of the Niger Bridge.<\/p>\n
According to him, \u201ccomplaints of the traffic situation at the Niger Bridge is so deafening. Somebody said he spent six hours driving from Lagos to Delta State, and then five hours from Asaba to Onitsha.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christian said the already messy traffic situation was compounded by the presence of security operatives deployed on \u201cstop and search operations\u201d at the two ends of the Niger Bridge.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs more people pour into the Southeast for Christmas and new year celebrations, I implore the Governments of Anambra and Delta states to work with relevant authorities to temporarily withdraw the services of those uniformed men and women at the Niger Bridge.”<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the multiple security checkpoints between road users\u2019 different points of origin to the southeast did not flag them as criminals or offenders of any known law, I\u2019m not exactly sure what miracles those security deployments at the Niger Bridge are expected to perform.”<\/p>\n
\u201cExcept if the idea is to cause nuisance and increase the sufferings of road users.”<\/p>\n
\u201cI hereby respectfully call on Governors Okowa and Obiano to rise to the occasion, temporarily withdraw \u201cstop and search\u201d security operatives deployed at both ends of the Niger Bridge, and make access to the bridge free this festive season\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Also, Federal Controller of Works in Anambra, Adeyemo Ajani, had also called on Police to relax checkpoints on Federal Roads to enable motorists have smooth movement on some of the fixed roads.<\/p>\n
“They don\u2019t seem to understand the importance of free flow of traffic, the road blocks mounted on that road constitute nuisance, sometimes the traffic stretch from Oba to that bridge and others in Awkuzu and other places.”<\/p>\n
\u201cThey should relax these checkpoints and allow free flow of traffic around the state, especially during this Yuletide period\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Recall that the Federal House had, on Dec. 16, called on the Inspector General of Police to dismantle checkpoints on roads leading to the Southeast from Lagos and Abuja.<\/p>\n
The Green Chambers made the call following a resolution on the Motion moved by Obinna Chidoka, PDP, member representing Idemili North and Idemili, entitled \u201cMotion for the Disbandment on Multiple Security Checkpoints on Roads Leading to the South-East Region\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Police and other security agencies have been urged to withdraw checkpoints at the Onitsha end of the River Niger Bridge to ease the gridlock caused to the motoring public. Public Affairs Analyst, Chima Christian,\u00a0 made the call in Awka on Sunday while reacting to the numerous complaints of traffic congestion at the bridge. Christian said […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7326,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-metro"],"yoast_head":"\n