By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief) @CelestineOkaf11
Veteran Journalist and former General Manager of the Daily Star newspapers group, Enugu, High Chief Sam Amaku, popularly known as 'SamPen', has congratulated the new governor of Enugu State, Barrister Peter Ndubisi Mbah, on his inaguration as governor, on Monday, May 29.
He urged the Enugu governor to urgently hit the ground running by building a flyover from the former Eso filling station round about near the Enugu Police College Area, through Amokwe Round-about, to the ever busy Amechi Road-round about and finally on to the Garriki Market area.
According to Chief Amaku, the flyover was necessary due to the fact that the popular Agbani Road is ever busy everyday from 7 am to 10 pm including even Sundays.
He told the governor that, "It is the only available direct road entrance to the popular Garriki Market Area that also connects the Enugu- PortHarcourt Express Way. The Traffic jam or Traffic bottle necks experienced daily on this Agbani Road are deliberately caused due to the reckless driving by Mini Bus drivers and Keke ( Tricycle ) riders, most of whom behave like drug addicts.
Amaku enjoined governor Mbah to make out time and observe these commuter operators indulge in such reckless driving within that location.
"Your Excellency, watch them daily on the roads. They have no regards whatsoever for traffic rules. They flout the traffic light commands as well as disregard the directives of the Road Traffic Personnel with impunity. This road cannot also entertain emergency cases should they occur any day. God forbid!", Amaku noted.
While alerting the governor that the distraught people of Enugu Indigenes and residents are expecting so much democratic dividends from his new administration, Chief Amaku urged the governor to listen to the voices of the people of the state if he wants to succeed in office and enjoy a peaceful, stable and glorious tenure.
He also told governor Mbah that the flyover project he suggested "would be a replica of what obtains between Awka Township and Onitsha both of Anambra State.
"Unfortunately, the immediate past Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, tried to solve the intractable traffic jam but got it all wrong. Instead of constructing the much needed flyover, Ugwuanyi constructed Pedestrian Bridges - One at the Mayor Market and the other at the Garriki Market, which uptil date, has not solved the traffic problems neither are the bridges even used by the market people"
The Octogenarian veteran journalist also said governor Peter Mbah "needs to know too, that if there are ten road accidents daily on the Enugu Township Roads, at least eight (8) of them are caused by the lawless mini bus drivers and their cohorts - the Tricycle Riders".
High Chief Amaku however pointed out to the governor that "Here in Enugu Municipality, the former governor, Sullivan Chime, constructed some very nice major roads and provided them with good pedestrian walkways. But, today, these lawless commuter operators who ride tricycles inside the Enugu Municipality would not allow the pedestrians to walk freely on them.
"Most of the time, they ride their tricycle on the pedestrian walkways and push innocent people down into the gutters without any remorse. Their excesses are now unbearable as they knock down innocent pedestrians on daily basis. Only a few weeks ago, a well- known Church Pastor here in Enugu was knocked down by one of them while trying to cross this same Agbani Road. The Pastor now undergoes weekly Physiotherapy treatment at the 82 Division Military Hospital, Enugu.
"Your Excellency, your new Administration must, therefore, pay special attention to counter these acts of reckless and unlawful activities of some of these seeming drug-influenced mini bus drivers and tricycle riders operating inside Enugu Municipality.
"Yes, the introduction of the tricycle transport system was to provide jobs for the youths, but since they now have no regards for the city traffic rules please, your government should forthwith, regulate or restrict their modus operandi within Enugu Municipality before it is too late. A stitch in time saves nine!", the Journalist submitted. NNL.
