NGO calls for quick passage of Traffic Warden Bill by 10th N/Assembly

JONAS EZIEKE, Abuja

 

 

National Coordinator of Greater Virtue for Traffic Watch & Development Initiative, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Dr. Jonah Johnson Pla has said that passage of the Traffic Warden Bill before the 10th National Assembly will accelerate socio-economic development of Nigeria.

 

He said that the struggle to make Nigeria strong, virile and an enviable socio-economy is certainly beyond one organisation but called for the collective collaboration of the various sub-sectors

 

He therefore implored for immediate passing of Traffic Warden Service (TWS) Bill before the 10th National Assembly (NASS) for transmission for Presidential assent earlier passed by the 8th NASS.

 

The National Coordinator made the call in Abuja during a Press briefing recently noting that TWS, Nigeria is on hand to take her track lane among other organisations in the service of the nation for effective performance of the function for which they were established.

 

He remarked, “The TWS is now on hand to fully take her place in the service of the nation and perform her statutory function as an independent Agency among security Agencies as established”.

 

According to him, the Traffic Warden Service Establishment had recently been demerged from Nigeria Police, following the repeal of Decree 21 of 21 of 1975, which was embedded in Section 59 – 60 of POLICE ACT CAP 359 LFN 1990 and re-enacted Traffic Warden Service Act 2019 by the NASS.

 

Explaining, the National Coordinator marshaled that the “TWS has the overall control, management and administration of inter-city road traffic/Revenue generation and other related matters, as her primary function. “As part of her aims, objective and mandate, the TMC/NGO is to embark on nationwide recruitment of eligible persons into Traffic

Control Support Corp in order to have in place a team that would lend necessary support to the Traffic Warden Service Establishment in the country.

 

“Unarguably, the general traffic situation of Nigeria’s intra-city road corridors/junctions particularly in Lagos, Rivers, Kano and Oyo State, the FCT and environ vis-a-vis other State Capital and urban town is worrisome and a matter of public concern.”

 

He stressed that statutorily, the intra-city road traffic control is NOT the function of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) which primary function is to regulate overloading of vehicles in Motor Parks; over-speeding and constant patrol of the highways, to save/secure lives and property of travellers”.

 

Continuing Johnson Pla informed that the TMC/NGO is to engage interested and eligible persons as Traffic Control Support Corp to support the now autonomous/independent

Traffic Warden Establishment; as the Service is being repositioned back to her statutory functions on the road.

They will also assist the Federal Government in creating the much-needed mass employment.He likened the processes as that of athletic relay race saying that “the TWS is not standing still waiting for the handover baton to reach the hand,” rather, they are beginning to recruit personnel for training ahead of the assured Presidential assent.

 

The Bill already passed by the 8th Assembly would be released from the NASS who are expected to dust up the Bill via a motion to reflect the current 10th NASS.

Concluding he said, “The Traffic Warden Service would therefore love to inform all other Paramilitary Organisations to endeavour to maintain their respective mandate and terrain of duty for which each organisation was established, without unnecessary interference and/or encroaching into the intra-city road traffic control.

 

The management and administration within the metropolitan cities and urban towns. The TWS has the mandate to take charge of the intra-city road traffic control as her primary functions.

 

The TWS, Nigeria was established by the repealed Decree 21 of 1975, re-enacted as TWS Act 2019 and declared autonomous by the Court of Appeal Kaduna with core functions of direct/control intra-city road traffic; discourage wrong parking on intra-city road corridors, handle traffic management and administration, to generate revenue from the road traffic activities and create employment for youths.

 

The TWS, Nigeria would create employment for over one million five hundred eligible youths from all over Nigeria who would be trained as members of “Traffic Control Support Corps (to be converted to TWS) for various officer cadres as; Officers, Supervisors and juniors given qualifications.

 

For a better society

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