The Cross River State Government has given an ultimatum of 90 days to operators of unpainted cabs in Calabar to paint their vehicles in the state’s official cab colours of dark-blue and white or have their vehicles impounded.
The Director-General of the Department of Public Transportation- Godwin Nyiam, gave the ultimatum at a sensitisation workshop for commercial vehicle operators in the state in Calabar on Thursday.
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At the event which attracted thousands of drivers, Nyiam told journalists that, ‘We gave them 90 days to change the colour of their vehicles to the state colours so that we can know who is a commercial driver and who is not. This will bring sanity and enhance organisation’.
‘Those who fail to do so will have their vehicles impounded. We have given them 90 days bearing in mind that times are actually hard. But within 90 days they would have raised money to repaint their cabs. If you are out and ready for business you have to do the needful’.
‘We also want to use this opportunity to launch our Operation Psycha, that is anyone who parks after this workshop where he is not supposed to park, we will prosecute the person’.
‘We will refer you first to a psychiatric hospital to confirm if you are okay. If you are not okay, of course, you have no business on the road. Your driving licence will be withdrawn. But if you are very normal, of course, we will prosecute you’.
He disclosed that officials of the agency found wanting had been punished, adding that “six of them were suspended.”
Nyiam said a meeting would be held with the officials of the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency to iron out the allegation of high-handedness levelled against their operatives by the drivers.
The Deputy Corps Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the state, Benjamin Akunne, who listed causes, effects and prevention of accidents, advised cab drivers not to park indiscriminately on the highways to avoid accidents.
(Transport Day)