Igbo Radio

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

The Anambra Road Traffic Management Agency (ARTMA) has issued a fresh set of directives and stern warnings to commercial bus and tricycle (Keke) operators across the state, particularly those operating along the highly congested Upper Iweka–Owerri Road corridor, declaring that full enforcement has commenced with immediate effect.

The directives were contained in a public notice personally signed by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ARTMA, Engr. Okonkwo Emeka-Konti, and made available to this reporter on Tuesday. According to the MD, the new measure forms part of the Agency’s broader traffic-sanitisation mandate as the festive season draws closer and vehicular movement into the state increases significantly.

In the statement, the ARTMA Boss announced that all commercial bus drivers must henceforth load and offload passengers only at officially approved and designated parks, stressing that no part of the roadway will be tolerated as a loading bay under any circumstance. He said the era of converting road shoulders, intersections, and drainage lines into makeshift parks has ended, adding that the Agency will impound any vehicle found violating this directive.

Engr. Emeka-Konti further noted that transport companies operating along the Upper Iweka–Owerri Road axis must ensure that all their loading activities are carried out behind proper barricades, safely positioned behind the drainage point, so as not to obstruct vehicular flow.

He warned that any vehicle caught loading directly on or beside the drainage would be immediately confiscated and held for seven days without any option of fine.

The MD also issued specific guidelines to tricycle operators, directing that Keke riders are only permitted to pick and drop passengers when properly parked on the road shoulder. He emphasized that no rider is allowed to convert any portion of the active roadway into a permanent park or loading point, as such unlawful practice contributes to gridlock, reckless obstruction, and avoidable accidents along major transit routes.

According to him, the Agency is implementing these measures as part of pre-emptive traffic management strategy for the yuletide season, noting that Owerri Road remains a major gateway into the state, especially during festive migration. He said the road must remain free-flowing and decongested at all times to guarantee safety for commuters, smooth movements for visitors returning home, and uninterrupted commercial activity along the critical corridor.

Engr. Emeka-Konti stressed that enforcement teams have already been deployed and directed to ensure full compliance across the stretch of Owerri Road and other parts of the state. He added that the Agency would no longer entertain excuses from defaulters, insisting that the penalties remain firm: any offending bus or tricycle would be impounded for seven days, with no alternative penalty or monetary fine.

The ARTMA helmsman appealed to all drivers, riders, transport companies, and stakeholders to adhere strictly to the new directives to ensure a safer, more orderly, and less chaotic transportation system in Anambra State. He noted that the ultimate objective is to protect lives, reduce avoidable road conflicts, and enhance the general flow of traffic, especially as the inflow of holiday travellers increases.

He reassured members of the public that the enforcement is for the collective good of commuters and residents, and forms part of the Agency’s sustained effort to support Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s vision of building a liveable, orderly, and economically vibrant homeland.