Akwa Ibom State Road Traffic Management Authority Bill, 2016 has passed second reading on the floor of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
The bill which is sponsored by the member representing Itu State constituency in the House, Idongesit Ituen, seeks to amongst other things put a stop to the chaotic traffic situation in the state, and as well, safeguard the lives of road users and by extension the citizenry.
Opening debate on the general principles of the bill, the lead sponsor, Hon. Ituen said the bill which seeks to repeal the cap 115 laws of the state, 2000, is intended to regulate the transportation sector and instill sanity in the road traffic management.
“Mr. Speaker, Akwa Ibom State is seeking to industrialize. This means we must begin to put in place measures to regulate road transport. We do not have an agency that is saddled with the responsibility of enforcing this regulation. If this bill is passed into law, it will create employment for over 5000 Akwa Ibom indigenes, especially young school leavers.
In our neighboring Cross River State there is the Department of Public Transport, DOPT, is well respected. Same goes for Lagos State”.
While urging his colleagues to throw their weight behind the bill, the lawmaker who is the Chairman, House Committee on Works and Transport, explained that there was urgent need to protect the transportation business the state from further causing discomfort to citizenry.
“When this bill is passed and the agency is set up, vehicles plying our roads must be road worthy. The transportation business of a state is the life wire of that state”.
Speaking in support of the bill, the Chief Whip of the House, Emmanuel Ekpenyong,(INI), Deputy Leader, Barr. Ime Okon,(Ibiono-Ibom) Deputy Chief Whip, David Lawrence,(Eket), Friday Iwok (Abak), Aniekan Bassey(Uruan), Engr. Otobong Ndem(Mkpat Enin), Nse Ntuen (Essien Udim), and Effiong Bassey (Oron/Udung-Uko) all agreed that the bill would check unruly behavior on the part of road users in the state. They observed that the law establishing the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, clearly stipulates where officials of the commission should carry out their operations. The House members noted that the bill when passed into law will streamline road and traffic management operations in the State and would as well generate revenue to the state.
Lawmakers hailed Ituen for introducing the bill, describing it as well thought out.
Speaker of the House, Barr. Onofiok Luke, committed the bill to the House Committee on Works and Transport for consideration at the committee level. The committee is expected to report back to the Assembly in two weeks time.
