..As EDSTMA Boss advocates attitudinal shift

Residents of Edo state have applauded the Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo for restoring law and order, within two weeks, to the popular King Square in the state capital, Benin City.

Some traders, drivers and several other persons had serially violated municipal laws as they traded their wares and parked vehicles indiscriminately around the Ring road, a development which caused serious nightmares for the motoring public.

Governor Okpebholo had on assumption of office on 12th November 2024 pledged to bring practical governance and ensure that the people of the State enjoy the dividends of democracy.

Speaking on the development, the Managing Director, Edo State Traffic Management Agency EDSTMA, Engr. Stainless Ijeghede said the Okpebholo-led administration is ready to entrench a new culture of discipline.

He noted that upon assumption of office as the MD of EDSTMA he mobilized the personnel to sensitize traders, drivers and residents who might have played one role or the order in causing the traffic gridlock at the city centre.

Ijeghede said; “Ring Road was never like this but our people have turned it into something else. When I was made the MD, I moved to Ring Road to address the traders and drivers who were causing the problems to vacate the road and allow free flow of traffic.

“Edo State is our State and we must work together to make the State great and better for all of us. We all are going to be united, work together for the betterment of the State.

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“We have to be disciplined and toe the line of peace to ensure a better society and State. The State government is already getting commendations for restoring law and order to the city centre. We will make sure we sustain it to ensure free vehicular movement.

“We are not going to force anybody to obey the rules. They will hear the voice of reason and agree to the rules. Edo people are disciplined and law abiding. We all, the traders, market women, drivers will join hands to keep the city centre free. We will imbibe a new culture of discipline in Edo State”.

Head of Operations at EDSTMA, Osagie Emokpae said the agency had to swiftly move to restore sanity in the city centre because traders and drivers had taken laws into their hands and the Okpebholo administration has now moved to ensure law and order.

“We have made some arrests this morning of some drivers who, despite our presence and efforts to ensure free vehicular movement, still parked indiscriminately to pick passengers. We have impounded their vehicles and moved the chairs and tables used by traders to our office.

“Our focus is to keep the city centre free ensuring that everyone respects law and order. We have enforced the law and we will ensure we sustain this. We have enforced the law in the King Square, Forestry and now moving to New Benin and other areas in the state. We will sustain it”, said Emokpae.

Speaking to journalists on the development, some residents who gave their names as Mrs. Victoria Aigbedion, Mrs.Osawaru Osamudiame, Elder Godwin Bazuaye, Mr. Steven Okugbe all
commended the Governor urging him to sustain the present order in the City as it has ensured free vehicular movement.

In separate interviews, they noted that aside the motoring public, pedestrians are also happy about the development as they can now walk freely in the area.

Some of them counselled the people against enabling errant drivers by boarding their vehicles in undesignated places and patronizing traders in the area.