Delta state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, says his administration has concluded plans to set up a taskforce comprising the police, the military, FRSC officials and the Delta State Traffic Management Authority to handle traffic situation congestion in the state.
Okowa who stated this at Government House Asaba during a press conference with the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, called on the military and the police to dismantle their checkpoints around the bridge so as not to frustrate any action aimed at easing off the traffic gridlock.
He also said that until the second Niger bridge project is completed, the high density of vehicular traffic at the Asaba and Onitsha ends of the bridge would continue to occur especially at yuletide season.
“It is my hope that working together, they (our taskforce and FRSC officials) will be able to ensure truly that we have a free flow of traffic at that point (the River Niger Bridge). The question is until the second Niger Bridge is truly finished, we may be going through this ritual (traffic gridlock) on a yearly basis,” the governor said.
On the second wave of COVID-19, Governor Okowa advised residents of the state to celebrate with caution as the virulent pandemic was out to claim more lives, emphasizing that churches must enforce compulsory wearing of face masks, use of hand sanitizer and strict observance of social distancing among other protocols that would keep the virus at bay.
Earlier, the Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi said he was in Government House Asaba to brief the governor on the annual review meeting on how to ease off traffic at the bridge head, Asaba.
Dr. Oyeyemi said his men have been deployed to the area to ensure that no passenger or other road users was stranded on the Asaba/Onitsha route during the festive period.
“I have deployed additional personnel; I deployed 600 yesterday to Anambra and this morning, we are deploying over 652 personnel to Delta State. We have mobilised our two heavy duty recovery vehicles if there is any breakdown of vehicles on the road.
While commending Governor Okowa for his sustained support through vehicles and other logistics, the Corps Marshal advised all road users to be patient and obey traffic rules while on the road.
He said the Corps will enforce all rules that would ensure safety on roads and the fight against COVID-19 spread and advised all motor parks to comply with the federal government’s protocols against the virus.