Oyo State Govt begins Friendly Enforcement of ‘No Roadside Trading’ Ahead of Ember Months

In a bid to curb accidents that occur due to roadside trading, the Oyo State Government has begun the implementation of “no roadside trading’ campaign.

Executive Chairman, Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA), Dr. Akin Fagbemi, while monitoring the friendly enforcement at the Mokola roundabout axis of the state on Tuesday, said the agency embarked on the exercise in order to ensure that the people are safe in the state, ahead of the ember months.

While speaking with newsmen after the exercise, Fagbemi said: “We are aware that one of the challenges we do have is some of our people who trade by the roadside which contravenes traffic rules and regulations and I have to come here personally with some of the top management of OYRTMA to ensure that they comply with the rules and I also want to tell you that we will not do things that will contravene the law and at the same time, we are here to portray the good image of Governor Makinde which everybody is aware of.”

“We are part of them and we must let them understand what we are doing which informs our decision to go there to take them off the road so that they will understand that we are not here to bully them but for them to understand that whenever they are selling on the road, there is a lot of risks involved and to caution them on it.”

“You could see how friendly we were to them. Some of them assisted us to move the motorcycles from the road, they helped the aged to move their wares from the road. We will continue to encourage them and let them know that there is a need for them to keep themselves safe from road accident as it were.”

Fagbemi was asked if traffic offenders would be allowed to go scot-free without any fine or sanction, but in response the OYRTMA boss said: “We must understand the principle by which this government operates.

According to Fagbemi, “one of the key parts is we must do what we call friendly enforcement, we must understand that these people are part of us and we must let them understand. I believe as we continue to do the friendly enforcement, they will comply.”