By Ifeanyichukwu Afuba
Passengers on inter-state travel to and from Anambra State will now be insured against incidence of road mishap.
State Transport Commissioner, Afam Mbanefo broke the heart-warming news during the week at an interactive session with members of the Governor’s Media Office.
Mbanefo disclosed that the launch of the insurance scheme was imminent just as a crackdown on touts and fake revenue collectors was being finalized.
“The insurance cover provides for N100, 000 in the case of death and N50, 000 for injuries,” Mbanefo stated.
He said the insurance policy had given added importance to the proper use of passenger manifest by the transport operators.
“In addition, the manifest system we’re putting in place helps us with the information regarding who is coming into the State and all of these contribute to the security situation in the State”.
Shedding further light on ongoing measures to sanitize the road transport sector, Hon Afam Mbanefo said Governor Willie Obiano has approved the establishment of an anti tout team.
“There are touts out there collecting money from innocent drivers. We’re discussing with the various unions to make sure that these individuals extorting money on the roads are treated as criminals and not agents of the State. We’ve formed a joint task force with the traders and transporters unions to curb these excesses”.
The Transport Commissioner sought to allay fears about the counter tout unit becoming a problem of its own with time, explaining that the personnel are being drawn from existing standard organizations such as the Vehicle Inspection Office, Anambra Traffic Management Agency and the Ocha Brigade. He assured that the anti tout team will undergo necessary training.
Read Also: 15 wounded as touts take over Onitsha Enugu Expressway
He explained that order was being brought to bus and tricycle operations through verification and validation of parks.
“We have identified loading bases for tricycles. We’ve marked the locations and we’re putting up signages, starting from Awka, then to Onitsha and other parts of the State. We’ll sit down once again with the unions to inform them of this policy and then we’ll start enforcement”.
“There are parks that are paying next to nothing. There are parks that are not in our books but are trading. Any park that is not approved, will be revoked” he emphasized.
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