Cross River bans VIO from road operations

The Cross River State government has banned Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from conducting road operations across the state.

Governor Bassey Otu announced the directive in Calabar on Saturday, stating that VIO personnel would now be restricted to office duties.

According to a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Linus Obogo, the decision followed protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators over high ticket fees, excessive fines and alleged harassment by enforcement teams.

The governor said the measures were approved after consultations with key transport stakeholders in the state.

As part of the changes, the government reduced the daily ticket fee for commercial drivers from ₦850 to ₦500, while the penalty for failure to obtain the ticket was lowered to ₦10,000.

He also directed that all traffic-related fines be reduced by 50 per cent and paid only into designated government accounts.

Daily ticket fees for tricycle operators were also reduced from ₦1,200 to ₦500.

However, the government introduced a ban on night operations for commercial tricycles, directing that all tricycle activities must end by 6 p.m.

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Governor Otu said the review was intended to ease financial pressure on drivers while restoring order to the state’s transport system.

Transport unions react to new directives

The governor further announced that commercial drivers and tricycle operators would no longer be required to purchase transport tickets on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

He said the directives would take effect from March 9 and urged transport operators to cooperate with authorities.

Meanwhile, the governor said the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) would focus on vehicle registration and ticket sales at approved rates.

He also directed the Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA) to limit its operations strictly to traffic management duties.

However, some commercial drivers said the announcement did not address concerns about certain enforcement practices.

One driver, Johnson Ade, said the government should publish an official list of traffic offences and the corresponding fines to prevent impersonation by illegal enforcement agents.

Similarly, Sunday Dennis, metropolitan chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), said the union would convene a meeting to review the governor’s directive and determine its implications for transport operators.