By MBACHU GODWIN, Abuja
National Coordinator of Greater Virtue for Traffic Watch & Development Initiative, Dr Jonah Johnsonapla has called for immediate passage of Traffic Warden Service (TWS) Nigeria Bill before the National Assembly (NASS) and transmission for Presidential assent .
Recall that the bill has earlier been passed by the 8th National Assembly.
The National Coordinator made the call in Abuja in a Press , noting that Traffic Warders Service, is positioned to contribute its service the nation for effective performance of the function for which they were established.
He said, “The TWS is now on hand to fully take her place in the service of the nation and perform her statutory function as an independent Agency among security Agencies as established”.
According to him the Traffic Warden Service Establishment had recently been demerged from Nigeria Police, following the repeal of Decree 21 of 21 of 1975, which was embedded in Section 59 – 60 of POLICE ACT CAP 359 LFN 1990 and re-enacted Traffic Warden Service Act 2019 by the NASS.
He explained that “TWS has the overall control, management and administration of inter-city road traffic/Revenue generation and other related matters, as her primary function.
“As part of her aims, objective and mandate, the TMC/NGO is to embark on nationwide recruitment of eligible persons into Traffic Control Support Corp in order to have in place a team that would lend necessary support to the Traffic Warden Service Establishment in the country.
“Unarguably, the general traffic situation of Nigeria’s intra-city road corridors/junctions particularly in Lagos, River, Kano and Oyo State, the FCT and environ vis-a-vis other State Capital and urban town is worrisome and a matter of public concern.”
He argued that statutorily, the intra-city road traffic control is NOT the function of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) which primary function is to regulate overloading of vehicles in Motor Parks; over-speeding and constant patrol of the highways, to save/secure lives and property of travellers”.
Johnsonapla noted that the TMC/NGO is to engage interested and eligible persons as Traffic Control Support Corp to independent Traffic Warden Establishment; as the Service is being repositioned back to her statutory functions on the road.
Speaking further he urged other sister organisations not to interfer with the intra-city road traffic control, management and administration within the metropolitan cities and urban towns.
The TWS, Nigeria was established by the repealed Decree 21 of 1975, re-enacted as TWS Act 2019 and declared autonomous by the Court of Appeal Kaduna with core functions of control intra-city road traffic; discourage wrong parking on intra-city road corridors, handle traffic management and administration, generate revenue and create employment.
