The government of Cross River State has announced a sweeping reform of its transport enforcement system, including a ban on roadside operations by Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs).
Newsonspot gathered that Governor Bassey Edet Otu made the announcement in Calabar on Saturday, directing that VIO personnel should now limit their duties strictly to office-based operations.
According to a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Linus Obogo, the decision followed protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators who accused enforcement officials of imposing excessive fines, issuing high transport tickets, and harassing drivers on the roads.
The governor said the new measures were approved after a meeting with key stakeholders in the state’s transport sector, with the aim of easing the burden on drivers and restoring order within the system.
As part of the reforms, the state government announced a reduction in several transport-related fees and penalties. The daily transport ticket fee for commercial drivers has been reduced from ₦850 to ₦500, while the penalty for failing to purchase the ticket has been lowered to ₦10,000.
Daily ticket fees for tricycle operators have also been reduced from ₦1,200 to ₦500.
In addition, all traffic-related fines across the state have been slashed by 50 percent, with the government directing that such payments must be made only into designated Cross River State Government accounts.
Governor Otu also announced that commercial tricycle operators must end their activities by 6 p.m. daily, stating that night operations have been permanently banned.
Under the new arrangement, the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) will focus primarily on vehicle registration and the sale of transport tickets at approved government rates.
Meanwhile, the Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA) has been directed to restrict its operations strictly to statutory traffic management duties.
The governor further instructed that all enforcement officers must operate only in proper uniforms and carry verifiable identification while carrying out their duties.
Another relief measure announced by the government is that commercial bus drivers and tricycle riders will no longer be required to purchase tickets on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
Governor Otu said the new directives would take effect from March 9, urging residents and transport operators to cooperate with authorities in implementing the reforms.
Despite the announcements, some transport operators expressed concerns that certain issues remain unresolved. A commercial driver, Johnson Ade, argued that the government should publish an official list of traffic infractions and the specific fines attached to each offense to prevent impersonation by individuals posing as traffic officials.
Similarly, Mr. Sunday Dennis, Metropolitan Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), said the union would hold an emergency meeting to review the governor’s directives and determine the next steps for its members.
The reforms come after weeks of protests by commercial drivers and tricycle operators, which previously forced the state government to suspend the collection of transport tickets across the state.
