by Christiana Gokyo, Jos

Traders within Jos South and North Local Government Areas of the Plateau State on Wednesday staged a protest, with their shops under lock-and-key, following the Executive Order No.003, 2024 by the State Government prohibiting what it termed as ‘indiscriminate parking’ of trucks, heavy-duty equipment and other vehicles within the metropolis.

The order by the government was that, “any vehicle that parked in that manner shall be impounded and the driver of same shall be liable to pay a fine of N500,000.00 only as penalty.”

The protest by the traders was to urge government to look into the situation and allow the trucks to come in by 9pm and offload in the day time.

Exco members of the traders of the Building Material Market, led by their chairman, Mr Fidel Onwuzurike, said that they met with the JMDB Management and appealed to them to allow the trucks to come in at 9pm and offload in the day time and take off by 9pm, but the management refused to comply with them. 

It could be recall that, the General Manager Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB), Arch. Hart Bankat, recently in his press briefing to newsmen, on behalf of the Governor of Plateau State, had indicated that, “The Executive Order is aimed to regulate the construction of buildings and the flow of vehicular traffic in the state.”

According to him, “Under this order, all new building projects must obtain the necessary permits and comply with building codes and regulations. The prohibited indiscriminate parking of trucks, heavy-duty equipment and other vehicles within Jos metropolis and vehicles so parked shall be impounded and the drivers of same shall be liable to pay a fine of N500,000.00 only as penalty.”

“Trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles are hereby restricted from coming into the Central Business Area within Jos-Bukuru metropolis, from 6am to 9pm, and vehicles of defaulters shall be impounded and drivers shall be liable to a fine of N500,000.00.

Arch Bankat added that, “The decision became necessary, following the growing population in the state, which has led to an increase in vehicular traffic and haphazard construction of buildings, which has resulted in congestion and safety hazard in the cities.”

Speaking to our correspondent, Chairman of the Traders Association at the Building Material Jos, Mr. Fidel Onwuzurike, narrated that, they are not fighting with government but pleading with government to allow the trucks to come by 9pm and offloaded in the day time and live by 9 pm which will be more saved for them then to offload in the night, which is not save.

He also observed that, with the raining season coming, it would be very difficult for them because, if it rains in the night how will they offload?, saying, “It cannot be possible to do that at night time, especially within the Jos Town; it’s not save with hoodlums.

Our correspondent noted that, the Building Material Market was under lock-and-key; no shop was open, and within the Jos Terminus Market also, some of the shops were equally under lock-and-key.

By MbNewss

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