By Christopher Odamah, Warri
Resident of the rich oil city of Warri, Delta State has decried the high rate of traffic hold up regularly experienced in Warri, calling on the Ministry of Transport, Federal Road Safety Commission and other relevant agencies in the transport sector to help check the traffic menance.
The residence who put the blame on the ban of commercial motorcycle activities in the city argued that since the ban on commercial motorcycle there has been in influx of cars and tricycles in the city thereby resulting increase in vehicular activities and congestion of the road.
They argued that the recklessness of tricycle riders who parked their tricycle without respect to traffic regulation have contributed to the traffic situation in the city.
Some respondents who spoke with our correspondent, stressed on the need for urgent steps to reduce traffic jams at busy road junctions as a way of addressing the problem.
Comrade Festus Ofagbe, President of Delta Youths Council (DYC) said that, “The situation is physically bad. This is as a result of illegal parking of cars by taxi and bus operators in the area. Some even part at the middle of the road to pick passengers. I think we need more traffic wardens and other volunteers like Road Safety Marshals at every major road junctions.”
Another respondent who pleaded on anonymity said that the Warri situation is not too bad but just that the people of the area are not used to traffic jam, adding that the situation came as a result of the ban on commercial motor cycles and advent of keke.
He said “It is unfortunate that Warri residents are not used to traffic jam. Go to places like Port Harcourt, Lagos and some other areas, they have more traffic situation than what is presently seen in Warri. I think there is need for government to do something urgent about it because more cars will be coming into the city.”