Ebonyi govt. to seal erring motor parks, vows to enhance development 

By, Uchenna Okeh Abakaliki 

Ebonyi State government has vowed to enhance development in various motor parks in the state.

The government, also vowed to close down erring motor parks who failed to comply with government directives on keeping environments clean.

The Commissioner for Transport, Igboke Collins Ewa, made this known on Tuesday while addressing newsmen during the annual routine checks on the state central park, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

He said that many park operators fail to meet up with government requirements.

Igboke narrated that the ministry was there to check if the transport companies had complied with the state government’s directive of maintaining good environment, provision of toilet facilities among others. 

He said, “We are here check the environment of all the parks and to check those who have toilets and those who have tiled their environment. 

“As you can see, if you look around the park, you will see a lot of kiosks here and there blocking the entrance of the park, we are also to check the cleanliness of the area. 

“So, this is the annual routine of the ministry, and that is what we are here to do today”, he stated.

He commended the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru for his unwavering commitment and support that has made transportation easy in the State.

“I want to commend our leader and the father of the State, Francis Nwifuru, for his support and commitment in easing the transport needs of our dear state. 

“In this past, we have sent a memo to him for us to complete the entrance of the park.  If  you go down, you will see where we have tiled already. 

“At the entrance of the road, we have tiled  some certain places that have been completed within this area.

“We have also built a new gate here, and the second gate is ongoing. So, this is what the present government has done in this park’, he.said.

In order to ensure adequate security in the parks, the commissioner said there is a collaboration with the ministry and park management.

“Yes, of course. As of yesterday, I had a meeting with them on a daily basis here. We are paying them in collaboration with the park owners to ensure adequate security in the parks”

On boosting the state generated revenue, Igboke said the ministry of transport contributes 40% to 50% to the state internally generated revenue,  “From my own record, the Minister of Transport is contributing almost 40-50% the internally generated revenue to the state. So, this part is not left out. The state government is also collecting the IGR.

“But you know, to collect IGR for the state is not my ministry’s routine . The state has only empowered the Ministry of Internally Generated Services to generate funds for the state. And I am sure they are carrying out their duty as well. 

Igboke Collins Ewa further explained that it is only in Ebonyi State that one can find such central park, with a very massive land donated by the government of Ebonyi State to facilitate transportation. 

He said , “I am not sure that there is another state that has such a central park of this magnitude . So, what we see in other states is merely a general park. When you go to the local governmen area, you see a general park.

“But here, we have a very massive land that the government allotted to various transport companies. I mentioned that all the transport companies are in one place. 

“So, it’s helping our people to travel out of the state and coming in at any given time. So, I am sure the citizens are enjoying what the government is doing here.

According to the commissioner, the annual routine checks involves ascertaing if the transport companies in the Central park have complied with government’s directive of providing toilet facilities and boreholes.

“That’s one of the things we are checking. We are checking in every park. Our contract with them is they must have a motorised borehole in their park.

“They must have a working toilet system in their various parks. That is one of the things we are here to check.  When you enter here, we have a lot of things to check. 

“We will start from the toilets. If the toilet is not working, we will know If the area is not tidy enough, if we find out that what they are supposed to have that  is not in place, we will seal  the park”,he reiterated.