By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Abia State Government on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, commenced the enforcement of its laws against ,street trading, illegal parking ,indiscriminate disposal of waste products and sundry abuses of public properties and infrastructural facilities.
Operating under the auspices of Abia State Harmonized Task Force ASHTF, the Abia State authorities are seeking to enforce a regime of sanity in the operations of Motor parks, and other public service facilities ,which had hitheto been functioning chaotically.
The Source reports that most cities in the State, particularly, are notorious for Street trading, gross abuse of public assets, unbridled reign of touts, street urchins, illegal operations of motor parks ,as well as unhealthy waste disposal culture.
Over the years, successive administrations have either been overwhelmed by, or paid lip service to the control of the menace .
In Aba, the commercial hub of the state, the ASHTF, led by its Coordinator, Chief Uche Wogu, began the operations from the ever busy and popular Bata junction through Aba Main Park to the entire city centre targeting street traders, commercial vehicle operators loading and discharging commuters at unapproved spots ,and vehicles adjudged to have been wrongful parked .
Chief Wogu who is, also, the Mayor of Aba South Council,while addressing the press during the operations that lasted for several hours, warned that it will not be business as usual for both defaulters and enforcers of the law.
The ASHTF Aba Zone Coordinator noted that there is going to be a noticeable difference between the operations of the task force,and others before it .
“What will change is that it will not be business as usual. There is a massive reorientation of the mentality of the people of this town.
In the past, you had all sorts of people in the task forces doing things recklessly. Now, we believe in the rule of law.
Before,you see task force members jumping into peoples’ vehicles ,causing accidents and all other unlawful incidents . ASHTF has six zonal operational bases; two in Umuahia the state capital, and four in Aba.
Each zone has Mobile Courts attached to it . We have four Mobile Courts in Aba Zone and defaulters will be arraigned before the courts,and the courts will in turn award penalties in line with the extant laws. Each offence,has its own penalties ,as stipulated by the law . Convicted defaulters are to pay the penalties in to the state’s Single Treasury Account STA”.Chief Wogu stated.
Further speaking, the ASHTF Aba leader ,assured that part of the distinguishing traits of the current set up is that there will be no harassment and or intimidation of innocent and law abiding residents.
He insisted that the mandate of the Task Force and its operations will be limited to traders that display their wares on the streets and drainages, vehicles owners who obstruct free flow of traffic through unauthorized and illegal parkings, Commercial vehicle operators whose activities are conducted outside of approved and lawful spots, and residents caught disposing wastes inappropriately.
He noted that the ASHTF is principally aimed at enforcing a regime of sanity in major cities across the State.
