32 — Niger-Delta Voice, TUESDAY, NOVEMEBR 15, 2022 HUNGER-PROPELLED REVOLUTION: Commercial motorcyclists defy 15-yr ban in C-River •Return to Calabar roads, despite law by state govt •Police, community aid, abet disobedience, collect bribes •Commercial motorcyclists doing brisk business on Calabar roads unchallenged. CROSS-RIVER … THE PEOPLE’S PARADISE By Emmanuel Unah C A L A B A R — COMMERCIAL motorcyclists banned from operating in the Calabar Municipality and Calabar South Local Government Areas in Cross-River State, which comprise Calabar, the state capital, in 2008, have rebelled against the law and returned to operations, 15 years after. Police officers, who are supposed to implement the law, connive with the commercial motorcyclists to flout the law, after extorting money daily from them. Some community folks also collect money from the motorcyclists. However, the motorcyclists said the mode of transportation was their only source of livelihood and, since they do not want to die of hunger, have to pay their children’s school fees and meet other needs, they have to flout the ban. Imoke effected ban Ex-governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, effected the ban at the time to curb what he termed "excesses and recklessness of motorcycle operators", use of motorcycles by bandits as getaway means, after robbery operations, and mob action by the commercial motorcyclists at accident scenes involving any of them, and so on. His predecessor, Mr. Donald Duke, in 2005, attempted to ban commercial motorcyclists in Calabar but, owing to the swiftness of the decision, he later rescinded, until Imoke effectively brought the ban into place. Senator Imoke, however, gave some exceptions. Security agents like police, soldiers, immigration, navy, air force, civil defense and prison personnel, who already owned motorcycles, could ride same only while reporting and closing from duty, but not for commercial reasons. Normalcy With the ban, Calabar essentially became the first city in Nigeria to outlaw the operations of commercial motorcyclists. Some desperate riders who refused to obey the ban had their motorcycles impounded, destroyed or auctioned to traders, who came from Lagos and other cities to buy the motorcycles. Some sold their motorcycles and others moved out of Calabar. After the initial difficulty in movement, occasioned by the ban, normalcy returned and peace reigned in the city. Some motor-cyclists bought rickety cars and buses, which they used for transport services. Return of impunity However, over time, there was a lax in enforcement of the ban, as some security personnel used their motorcycles for commercial operations at night. Emboldened by the activities of security agents, some commercial motorcyclists returned to business. Initially, they confined their operations to the outskirts of the city in places like Ikot Ekpo, Ikot Effanga, Atimbo and Bakoko but, with time, they moved to the city centre. Today, it is common to find motorcycles brazenly operating with all the impunity everywhere in Calabar metropolis, which caused the ban. They move around everywhere, causing accidents, robbing and attacking other road users at the slightest provocation, and so on. Relief as youths fix flood-ravaged road in Bayelsa BAYELSA…THE JERUSALEM OF IJAW NATION By Samuel Oyadongha EDEPIE—YOUTHS of Elebele community in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, have come to the rescue of motorists, laying sandbags on a flood-devastated section of the road linking the town to Yenagoa, the state capital, to save it from total collapse, pending the intervention of the relevant authorities. Armed with shovels and sticks, the youths have turned saving angels for motorists and travelers, who have to navigate the many craters on the crumbling road. Most motorists shuttling Yenagoa, Ogbia and Nembe local government councils now prefer to pass through the Elebele community, instead of going through the Okarki axis in Rivers State, which is a longer route. They also avoid the Edepie- Otuasega-Imiringi route, which is also a quicker route like the Elebele axis, because of its terrible state caused by the flood. The deep gullies •Flood-devastated Edepie- Otuasega-Imiringi road. scared me —Female motorist A female motorist told NDV: “Aside from using sandbags to erect barriers to break the speed of the water current flowing across the road, they are also laying sandbags in the gullies and eroded edges to save the road from total collapse. “Some youths even assisted the terrified car owners to drive through the delicate spots. The relieved car owners would support their voluntary efforts, to enable them to get more sandbags to stabilise the ailing structure, pending the intervention of the authorities. "I was so afraid to drive through the flood-ravaged bend, until one youth beckoned on me to advance, but on noticing my confused state, he volunteered to drive through. I have not seen polite and caring volunteers like these youths before,” she added. Why we make the sacrifice —Enato A resident, Enato, said: "Though the flood has caused us much pain, its devastating consequences have created an opportunity for us to assist motorists to pass through the damaged spots and also assist our local economy. “Ours is an agrarian settlement with a mix of civil servants and traders. If our road is accessible, our people, who sell by the fringe, will make sales and this will boost their income. That is the sacrifice we are making for our community." Outstanding service —Kuro, driver An elated commercial driver, Owei Kuro, told NDV: "The community youth leadership has shown exceptional service by ensuring that the youths maintain the bad spots, and they have been working vigorously, using sandbags to fill the road. “Their effort is commendable, as it will prevent erosion from cutting the road off, making it easier for motorists to access the community. It is our prayers that the government moves in soonest for proper rehabilitation work." It‘s a communal effort —Temple A resident sacked by flood, Mr. Temple, asserted: "I met the youths bagging sand and laying same at the damaged spots when I went to check if I could return home and joined in the communal effort." It is our only source of livelihood —Motorcyclists When NDV accosted some operators at the popular Watt Market Roundabout, they came up with a litany of complaints, ranging from poverty and lack of job, saying commercial motorcycling is their only source of livelihood. "We have no jobs and, instead of stealing, it is better for us to operate motorcycles and help our families," Etekamba, who claims to be the leader of the motorcycle operators at the Bayside, told our reporter. "These people you see here have school fees to pay, uniforms to buy and food to provide for their families, and motorcycle is all they have. …settle police, community "Some of the monies we collect go to the police, some to the community, it does not go into one person's pocket," he narrated NDV discovered that police officers, who ought to implement the ban, were actively conniving with the motorcycle operators by extorting the sum of N500 daily from them as 'operational fees'. The Director General of Calabar Transport Regulatory Agency, CITRA, Mr. Gabriel Adah, said: “The ban is still in place, but you know Nigerians. These boys would never obey the law. Hunger can make you do what you are not supposed to do" He said he knows the police connive with the commercial motorcycle operators to give them the leeway to operate, after extorting money from them. "In Nigeria a little money makes people turn a blind eye, and that is the case with the motorcycle operators and police officers in Calabar,” he said. Levy However, some youths, who arranged hardcore on the decrepit spots, levy tricycle operations and car owners between N100 to N200 "As you can see, without us fixing the failed portions, cars cannot pass and there is nothing wrong in our collecting some change for our labor," one youth, who simply identified himself as Dennis, told NDV. Bayelsa govt takes stock Meanwhile, officials of the state government Post-Flood Management Committee, led by the deputy governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, last week, embarked on assessment tours of damaged infrastructures and taking stock of areas devastated by the 2022 flood. According to the committee, the visit is to assess the current situation and to hear from the communities about their specific needs and challenges. •Elebele road, weekend, where community youths resorted to using sandbags to save it from total collapse.
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