Enugu State is partnering MTN Nigeria Communications Plc to set-up a taskforce on traffic, and security management on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, in order to forestall accidents, insecurity and traffic jams.
The taskforce is saddled with ensuring lane integrity, and ensure that drivers adhere to traffic rules/regulations along Enugu State section of the expressway.
Principal Consultant of Community Liaison Initiative (CLI) to MTN, Chris Okoye, told newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday, after the taskforce inaugural meeting, that setting up the taskforce had become imperative and compelling.
Okoye, who is the chairman of Crown Crest Global Engineers (CCGE), lamented the flagrant disregard for lane integrity, and the basic rules of driving by trailer, and tanker drivers, along the 9th Mile – Ugwu-Onyeama axis of the expressway.
“The taskforce was predicated upon the directive of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State that all vehicles plying this section of the expressway, must maintain lane integrity, and conform to traffic laws until both lanes on the expressway are put in good order.
“Consequently, the CCGE/CLI took the initiative to ensure the governor’s directives are carried out, in order to prevent another fatal accident along this axis of the expressway.
“The essence of the joint taskforce is to create a synergy among stakeholders on traffic, and security in Enugu State, to ensure the enforcement of 100 percent compliance to lane integrity on the entire road.
“This is especially from the 9th Mile – 82 Division Junction corridor of the road,” he said.
Okoye said that the joint taskforce will also ensure the implementation of the anti-spill lock for petrol tankers, and trucks plying the road as directed by Enugu State.
Commenting on the ‘New Smart Road Concept’, Okoye said that “MTN wanted to ensure the road is a smart road; thus, having road furniture and technology, which included solar-powered lights, security cameras, and others.
He noted that smart roads are in vogue the world over, and well -fashioned for good traffic management and security.
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He said “the Enugu-Onitsha dual carriageway is planned to be a freeway, to encourage a free flow of traffic from one end to the other end.
“When completed, there will be no difference between day, and night times driving as there are plans to deploy solar-powered lights right from Enugu to Onitsha.
“CCTV surveillance cameras will be deployed along the length of the road, in which command and control rooms are already installed by Enugu State, to monitor activities on the road.
“Checkpoints will no longer be needed as the smart road concept is fully adopted. Instead, lots of security patrols will be encouraged to guard against a situation where checkpoints slow down traffic on the expressway.”
It would be recalled that telecommunication giant, MTN, is funding the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway construction, through the federal government novel road infrastructure tax credit scheme
