The Cross River State Government has banned roadside operations by Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) following widespread protests by commercial transport operators over alleged harassment and excessive fines.
Governor Bassey Otu announced the directive on Saturday in Calabar after holding a meeting with transport stakeholders. The announcement was disclosed in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Linus Obogo. Eyes Of Lagos reports,
According to the statement, the decision came after persistent complaints from commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators who accused enforcement officers of issuing inflated tickets, imposing heavy fines, and intimidating motorists on the roads.
Under the new directive, VIO personnel will no longer carry out roadside enforcement across the state. Their duties will now be limited strictly to office-based operations.
As part of broader reforms aimed at easing the financial burden on transport operators, the state government approved a reduction in daily transport ticket fees.
The daily ticket fee for commercial vehicles has been reduced from ₦850 to ₦500, while the penalty for failing to purchase the ticket has been lowered to ₦10,000.
Governor Otu also ordered that all traffic-related fines across the state be reduced by 50 percent, stressing that payments must be made strictly into official Cross River State government accounts to eliminate illegal collections.
For tricycle riders, the daily ticket fee has also been reduced from ₦1,200 to ₦500.
However, the government introduced a new operational restriction, announcing that tricycle operations will now end at 6 p.m., with night operations permanently banned.
In another relief measure, the government announced that commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators will no longer be required to purchase daily tickets on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
Officials say the policy is designed to support transport operators and reduce the economic pressure they face in their daily operations.
Governor Otu explained that the reforms are intended to restore order to the state’s transport system while ensuring fairness in enforcement.
Under the new framework, the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) will focus primarily on vehicle registration and ticket sales at approved rates.
Meanwhile, enforcement officers are required to operate only in official uniforms and must present verifiable identification while on duty.
The governor also directed the Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA) to restrict its responsibilities strictly to traffic control and management.
The new directives are expected to take effect March 9.
Despite the reforms, some transport operators have expressed reservations about the new measures.
A commercial driver, Johnson Ade, said the government should publish a clear list of traffic offences and their corresponding penalties to avoid confusion and prevent impersonators from exploiting motorists.
“Reducing fines by 50 percent is still vague. The government should clearly state the exact amount payable for each offence,” he said.
Similarly, Sunday Dennis, Metropolitan Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), revealed that the union plans to hold an emergency meeting to review the governor’s directive.
The latest policy shift follows a series of protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators across Cross River State.
The demonstrations earlier forced the state government to temporarily suspend transport ticket collections as tensions escalated between drivers and enforcement officials.
Authorities say the newly introduced measures are aimed at resolving the crisis and creating a more transparent transport regulatory system in the state.