Residents and people of Ikom urban in Cross River State have decried the lack of adherence to traffic signs, including the flaunting of traffic signs within the Ikom urban metropolis by motorists in the locality.
In separate interactions with Tribune Online on Friday, in the area, the residents lamented what some of them described as the “rascality and stubbornness” of some motorists.
Mr Uchenna, a spare parts dealer at Border Road junction, in his observations said, “you see this place, I don’t even understand what their problem is, whenever these bike people reach here, they will just pass without minding the stop signals.
“Sometimes, they will just zoom off without carefully observing the lights, but some people use to observe very well. There was a time that the traffic police normally stand here to arrest defaulters, but I don’t know if such operation is still ongoing”.
A commercial motorcycle rider, popularly known as okada man, Mr Agbor, said, “sometimes is not as if you don’t want to obey but, when you see everybody going, you alone cannot come and stand there, you will have to move with others.
“But is wrong to say we, the Okada riders, don’t obey traffic signs, we do obey just that sometimes, we find ourselves in a condition where we need to move with others. I will advise that my fellow Okada people should obey the traffic signs and lights for the avoidance of intercity road crashes”.
A Banker Mrs Ejogha Osim, suggested,” I think the road safety and police should organise sensitisation for the road users here in Ikom, the people are aware of the traffic signs but in the morning by 7 o’clock to 10 o’clock, you need to see how rough some of these people drive and ride on the roads of Ikom, its so annoying.
“There was a time they scratched my car because of this act of recklessness. It’s not funny at all especially when you are rushing to work in the morning,” she said.
Meanwhile, a senior traffic police officer, with the Motor Traffic Department, Ikom Division, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “We are into the festive or Yuletide period and you know ikom is one of the busiest urban areas in South south, I have worked in Port Harcourt, Warri, I have been in Calabar and many other places, but I think Ikom is a very busy place. Every day people come in from Calabar, Ogoja, Obudu, Abakaliki, Cameron, Enugu, Benue and other places, so it makes the urban area too busy that is the issue.
“And is not all of these motorists that understand road traffic signs and symbols, some are still traffic Illiterate and need to be educated. The major problem we have sometimes is the Okada people, they are always very stubborn.
“But in my opinion, I give Ikom people 80 percent compliance, they are trying. The people are a mixed population of farmers, entrepreneurs, civil servants, students and traders. So that heterogeneous nature of social and economic cultures Is there. So I think the people are trying”.
He further explained that, “it is usually in the morning and evening house that we have most if the traffic congestions, like 7 to 19 am and 3:30 to 7 o’clock pm, that is when you will see some people driving like mad people.”
“But we will continue doing our job, go to our office you will see several bikes and cars that we have arrested for road traffic offences, and we will keep doing our job,” he assured.
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