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The Delta State Government has inaugurated a supervisory committee tasked with the responsibility to continuously supervise and monitor the operation of commercial motorcycle (aka okada) and tricycle (aka keke) operators in the State.
The State Commissioner for Transport, Vincent Uduaghan, disclosed this while briefing the press on the activities and achievements of his Ministry at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Information, Asaba.
He said the supervisory committee will enforce compliance with the wearing of vests and helmets by commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators in the State, and that about 1,041 jobs had been provided for its members and other Deltans.
“The scheme has also ensured the harmonious relationship between the State Government and the tricycle operators across the State as well as contributing to the internally generated revenue of the State,” Uduaghan stated.
He revealed that the State Government had approved the construction of a 1,000 capacity tankers/trailers park at Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area, on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
“When fully operational, the scheme will provide direct and indirect jobs for the teeming youths in Delta State. The essence of the tankers park at Warri is to decongest the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) Expressway where petroleum tankers park indiscriminately and in the process poses danger to lives of other road users.
“It will also address the menace of highway gridlocks and environmental degradation caused by commercial and private petroleum tankers and other high axle trucks that visit Warri and environs.
“The revenue generated from the park will be used to maintain the existing park as well as boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State. A consultant has been commissioned to collect the fee and a task force for the decongestion of petroleum tankers from the NPA Expressway, Refinery environs and the Ubeji-Ifie axis has been inaugurated,” the Commissioner said.
Speaking on the privatization of Delta line, the Commissioner said: The present administration deems it fit to privatize the Delta Line Company to divest 60% of the State share under a Private Public Partnership to avoid issues of mismanagement over the years concerning the Company.
He declared that the process of the privatization was still on-going, saying that the benefits when privatized include, repositioning the Company in a better position to serve Deltans better and that Deltans would have a feel of reaching their desire routes through the new partnership.
To build an effective drivers pool for the State, Mr Uduaghan disclosed that 200 drivers are currently being trained in the 2017/2018 session while approval had been given for the training of more 250 drivers for 2018/2019 training session had been secured by the Directorate of Transport from the state Government.
He explained that the issues concerning stagnation of drivers in the State Civil Service would be a thing of the past, even as he said the benefits of the drivers training school include progress in drivers career from Salary Grade Level 07 to 14 in the Works Superintendent Cadre; polish Drivers in terms of character and expression in the discharge of their duties.
Others include enhancing the general productivity, mentality, psychological and emotional balance of drivers with their bosses and the Public; sharpening the level of road safety as it concerns road signs and symbols as well as their observance of Safety Rules and Regulations; it would help drivers to be mechanically alert in case of any incidence or occurrence in their vehicles, before getting to a Mechanic.