The Governor of Bassey Otu has banned roadside operations by the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in Cross River State, directing officers to restrict their duties strictly to office-based activities.
The directive was announced in Calabar after the governor held a meeting with transport stakeholders following complaints from commercial drivers about harassment, excessive fines, and inflated penalties imposed by enforcement teams.
In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Linus Obogo, the government said the decision was aimed at restoring order in the transport sector and addressing grievances raised by commercial bus and tricycle operators.
Under the new arrangement, VIO officials will no longer conduct roadside checks but will instead focus on administrative responsibilities. Other transport regulatory agencies in the state were also instructed to operate strictly within their statutory mandates.
As part of the reforms, the state government approved a reduction in daily transport ticket fees from ₦850 to ₦500, while the penalty for failing to purchase tickets was reduced to ₦10,000. Traffic-related fines were also slashed by 50 percent, with payments to be made only into designated government accounts to curb illegal collections.
For tricycle operators, the daily ticket fee was reduced from ₦1,200 to ₦500. However, tricycle operations at night have been prohibited, with riders required to stop operations by 6 p.m. daily.
The government also granted relief to commercial bus and tricycle operators by exempting them from ticket purchases on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
Governor Otu explained that the reforms are intended to restore discipline in the transport sector while reducing the financial burden on drivers. He added that the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) will now focus on vehicle registration and approved ticket sales, while enforcement officers must operate in proper uniforms with verifiable identification.
The governor further directed the Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA) to restrict its role strictly to traffic management.
The new measures are expected to take effect from March 9, 2026, with the governor urging residents and transport operators to cooperate with relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, some transport operators have expressed concern that the reforms may not fully address existing enforcement challenges. A commercial driver, Johnson Ade, called on the government to publish an official list of traffic offences and their corresponding fines to prevent confusion and impersonation.
Similarly, the Metropolitan Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Mr. Sunday Dennis, said the union would convene an emergency meeting to review the governor’s directives and assess their implications for members.
