Chief Johnson Apla, chairman of Greater Virtue for Traffic Watch & Development Initiative, GVTWDI, a non-governmental organisation, talks about the objectives of NGO to revitalize the Traffic Warden Service with the aid of Traffic Control Support Corps, TCSC, he has just set up to help reduce gridlocks in urban cities. Excerpts:
What motivated you to go into this new venture, given the existence of many organisations related to traffic control in the country?
In 1990, the then Assistant 1nspector General of Police (Finance) unilaterally slashed the salary of Traffic Wardens by 50%. She gave the impression that Traffic Wardens were not doing anything. In law, such action was ultra vires, meaning that, the AIG or Police exercised powers beyond their limit. Based on that negative development, Traffic Wardens boldly went to the Federal High Court, Kaduna, to seek redress in Suit No. FHC/KD/CS/134/97. Judgment was delivered on 12 February, 1999.
The Court ruled that Traffic Wardens, TWs, are the products of a separate Agency established by the Federal Government and that TWs ought to function or perform their duties independently. The Court ruled in favour of Traffic Warden Service autonomy.
Although those who went to Court were clamouring for the Court to ask the Nigeria Police to treat Traffic Wardens as part and parcel of the NPF, the Court told them that they are not members of the NPF because they are products of a separate Establishment. Traffic Wardens were confused on that judgment. They went to the Appeal Court, Kaduna, insisting that they are part and parcel of the NPF and should restore all the rights and other entitlements the Police unilaterally withdrew from them and also pay the cost incurred during the case. So, there was cross appeal on the case.
In Suit No. CA/K/112/99 which judgment was delivered on 18 May, 2000, the Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court and told Traffic Wardens that the judgment might not meet their current yearns but would be of relevance to their service in future.
GTVWDI took up the cause of the Traffic Warden Service in 2002, and applied for a writ of execution through its Counsel; that was granted and a Court Order was issued to us to enforce the judgment on behalf of the Federal Government.
The Police thought that no one had the audacity to question their illegality on Traffic Wardens. The NGO meticulously sponsored the Traffic Warden Service Bill (HB 596) that was passed as an Act of the National Assembly. By the previous judgments and passing of the TWS Bill, the Police ceased to be a Traffic Agency. Right now the Police are holding Traffic Wardens illegally.
However, The TWS Bill was not transmitted to Mr. President and C-in-C for his assent; that created delay in execution of court judgment. Now, the NGO is working on going back to the National Assembly to warm the TWS Bill as expected traditionally and get the current Legislative Assembly to give the NGO the full right to formally convert members of the TCSC into the Traffic Warden Service and officially launch an autonomous Traffic Warden Service.
Does it mean that, the NGO will integrate the TWS into the new Traffic Control Support Corp?
Our mission is to reposition the Traffic Warden Service back to her statutory function on the roads. The TWS is the Establishment. TCSC is the meticulous programme of intervention to lend support to the few Traffic Wardens on the road.
The status of the Traffic Warden Service/Traffic Wardens in the Public Service has to be clarified to the understanding of all and sundry. TWS has been all this while, a separate legal Establishment, a product of the statutory laws of the federation of Nigeria via Decree 21 of 1975 though it was conscripted to work ill
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