Press statement of the CD 10th Oct 2018
Loading ...CD Decries Increasing Traffic Congestion In Onitsha…Wants ASTMA Commander Sacked
The Campaign for Democracy (CD), has decried the increasing traffic congestion in Onitsha metropolis and its environs which has created untold suffering for the people and drastically slowed down economic activities in the commercial town.
The National Publicity Secretary of CD, Dede Uzor A Uzor, lamented that inspite of the increasing traffic jam, the Anambra State Traffic Management Authority (ASTMA) has failed to rise up to the occasion , rather was busy extorting money from the members of the public and sometimes openly robbed their victims.
“Unfortunately, the state Government seem not to be serious in doing anything. ASTMA which suppose to control traffic has failed.It has been heavily commercialised. They now use buses for criminal extortion of private and commercial vehicles. So, they have abandoned their core mandate of ensuring free flow of traffic”said CD.
The human right body noted that the major cause of traffic jams in Onitsha and environs was dilapidated and failed road networks within the city.
CD said the State Government Mass Transit which park at Tracas opposite Opposite Toronto Hospital at Upper Iweka equally contribute to the traffic gridlock along that part of Onitsha as traffic was slowed down for several hours.
CD said that the decongestion of streets and markets in Onitsha which eased traffic have failed as squatters have returned back to their base to block those exits.
They called for the immediate relocation of the parking bay of the Obiano Mass Transit to the Service Lane, where they would cause less problems to roads users and the commuters too.
CD deplored the increasing dirty environment of Onitsha, especially Fegge in Onitsha South Local Government Area of the State, where dirts excavated during environmental days littered the streets and pushed back to drainages again.
They called for the declaration of Onitsha as the dirtiest city in the world by the relevant United Nations (UN) agency.
The human right body called for immediate overhaul of the management of ASTMA since the current one seemed to have failed in their statutory responsibility.
“It is expected that traffic agents should be deployed to strategic areas from early in the morning on shift basis to late in the evening to avoid this chaotic traffic situation in Onitsha and environs” CD Warned.
