Army to assist VIO in city traffic management

The Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, Major General Ayuba Hamman, has expressed willingness to assist the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in areas that would enhance discipline on Abuja roads.

The Commander, who spoke while on a familiarisation visit to the DRTS headquarters in Mabushi, at the weekend, said the exercise was to acquaint him and his team with their areas of responsibility as he assumes duty as the commander.

According to a statement by the Head, Public Relations, DRTS, Mr. Emetu Kalu, Maj. General Hamman reiterated the need for Nigerian motorists to imbibe the culture of obeying traffic rules and regulations to ensure sanity on the roads.

“Every action taken against any traffic offender should be such that will serve as deterrent. Some countries have used sanctions to instil discipline on their roads and I urge my host to consider it as an option, if Nigeria must make any headway in the fight against road indiscipline,” the commander added.

The Director of DRTS, Alh. Wadata Aliyu Bodinga, told his visitors that the operations of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in the city have been a major challenge despite the efforts of his men and other paramilitary bodies involved in traffic management to enforce their ban.

He said the ‘unbridled driving’ against traffic is another major challenge to traffic management in the city, noting that it poses great danger to innocent road users.

The director identified commercial motorcycle riders; taxi drivers as major culprits, describing the act as suicidal.

Bodinga also lamented the presence of rickety vehicles all over the city, explaining that a good number of such vehicles had been dismembered after carrying out necessary inspections to the conviction of the owners, stressing that such old and non-economic vehicles deface the city.