Enumeration of Commercial Vehicles and Gov. Ottis’ elevation of Abia Security Architecture
A primary function of government is hinged on security and the protection of citizens from loosing their lives carelessly particularly as a result of insecurity. This is a function that the government of Abia state under the leadership of Dr. Alex Chioma Otti is quite aware of and is committed to deliver on.
Following his inauguration, Gov. Alex Otti declared a state of emergency in the security sector while sounding a note of warning that no inch of Abia will be left under the control of criminal elements. This was immediately followed up with the launch of ‘Operation Crush’ – an Interagency Security Command and Control structure; manned and equipped with the immediate mandate to tackle the high incidence of insecurity in the state.
Though the operational area of coverage is Abia, the immediate focus of Operation Crush was centered on the ‘Lokpa’ axis of the state and it’s immediate environs. With intensified effort, the high level insecurity in the area was brought down considerably within months making it a safe haven once again for all particularly travellers on the Enugu – Portharcourt Federal highway.
Sadly, after attaining this security milestone, a sad trend emerged with random hit and run attacks targeting security agents mostly in the commercial city of Aba. Unfortunately these random attacks has led to several deaths mostly among security agents and innocent civilian bystanders.
The state government not relenting, have vowed that perpetrators will be apprehended and brought to book. The heat is on with reports of some successes being recorded in tracing and apprehending some of those involved. The hunt is on for others who are yet at large.
Lately, criminals have turned their attention on commercial vehicles as a mode of operation to robb unsuspecting members of the public. Tricycles, mini-buses and unmarked vehicles deployed for commercial purposes have been linked to this latest negative development. Commuters have lost cash, telephone hand sets and other valuables while some have ended up being kidnapped after being robbed by these marauders masquerading as commercial vehicle operators.
In a swift response, the state government has taken a decisive step to streamline the operation of commercial vehicles across the state through the enumeration of all such vehicles and persons operating in the state.
The state Ministry of Transport is conjunction with Abia Orientation Agency is currently on a sensitisation drive calling on members of the Abia public and commercial vehicle operators to register their vehicles for proper identification in a bid to identify genuine commercial transporters and criminals who hide under the presently confused system to commit crime using fake commercial vehicles which members of the public are not able to distinguish.
This novel approach in identifying genuine commercial vehicles as a critical component in tackling insecurity proposes a unique identification number for both the operator and his vehicle to help unsuspecting members of the public determine which commercial vehicle to board or not.
The intensity of the sensitisation campaign aims to drill down the message to the grassroot for effective coverage. Road shows have been carried out in Umuahia the state capital and Aba; driving the Abia Orientation Agency and Ministry of Transport train to various transport hubs and commercial vehicle parks with the call for all commercial vehicle operators to register and be issued with enumeration codes. The exercise is free of any charge making it completely stress free for those targeted.
The enumeration exercise represents the first comprehensive effort at developing a data base of commercial vehicles in the state under any government. Efforts by previous administrations in this direction ended up not making any significant gain after transporters were fleeced of scarce financial resources in the name of registration. It has been made clear that the current excersice is completely free of cost to the commercial transporters to encourage all to enrole.
At the last check, the enthusiasm to register and be issued with enumeration codes is high amongst the target population. Those who have been enumerated urge colleagues to go and do same particularly with the extension of the deadline for registration by the state government.
It is heartwarming to know that the Motor transport Union in Abia state is a hundred percent in support and involved in the enumeration exercise. Speaking with the head of the Union, Azodo Chukwuma he admitted that crime was being committed with commercial vehicles and that it was necessary to capture genuine transporters on a data base to distinguish those operating intrastate from those operating interstate with the view to eliminate criminal activities without hindering commerce facilitated by inter and intra state commercial vehicular movement.
With the establishment of a commercial transport data base in the state, it will be much easier to track any vehicle engaged by a robber, a kidnapper or any other criminal pretending to be a transporter as it wouldn’t take much to sift such individual out from the bunch.
Aside developing a comprehensive data base for the state,this action by the government of Dr. Alex Otti compels all to be up to date with their vehicle documents and drivers license; a situation which was not the case before now. It is common knowledge that many commercial tricycles riders and even bus drivers do not have the required documents to operate. And some have operated in this manner for many years without consequence.
When the enumeration exercise is concluded, it will no doubt restore a sense of security on Abia roads making it more appealing for business men, women and indeed travellers in general to come into Abia because the fear of falling victim to blood thirsty men of the underworld would have been eliminated.
At enumeration the name and address of the owner of the vehicle, name and address of the driver of the vehicle will be captured and linked to the National Identification Number – NIN. This eliminates room for falsification. The plate number of the vehicle will be captured also and verified. The enumeration will also capture articulated vehicles, trucks and all other vehicles deployed for commercial purposes including of course trycyles, buses and taxi cabs – the exercise aims to be as comprehensive as possible.
Indeed technology through the deployment of information gathering and data management facilities have become crucial in today’s crime fighting effort and that is the vision brought to bear by the government of Dr. Alex Chioma Otti in the New Abia. One can only fight a known enemy – this enumeration exercise aims to unmask the real enemy and to protect the people.
On assumption of office, Gov. Otti announced that under his watch things will be done differently and this enumeration exercise is another attestation to this assertion. The benefits will stand the test of time because the state would develop a broad data base which will serve other development agenda of the government going into the future.
Abia state is better off under the leadership of Gov. Alex Otti compared with the leaders of the past who lacked the mandate of the people to be in office as it is with the man dubbed ‘Chioma Abia’.
Abia is on the move to a better place and the momentum of the journey is constantly on the rise.
Chukwuma Elvis, Public Affairs Commentator