Govt Otu's Commissioners In Cold War Over Traffic Regulation, Revenues

By Ndifreke BASSEY

Cold war is raging between the Commissioner for Transportation, Pastor Ekpeyong Cobham, and  Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ankpo Pius, over traffic management, regulations and revenues accruing therefrom. 

Trouble started between the two when Governor Bassey Otu removed  Vehicle Inspection Services from ministry of transportation to works.

Before now, the Vehicle Inspection Services was under the ministry of works. But when  former Governor Liyel Imoke created Department of Public Transportation, he moved all vehicles to transport and it continued under during Ben Ayade administration.

However, Otu, on assumption of office carried out reforms in the civil service sector and ordered that Vehicle Inspection Services be returned to its original ministry of works.

Based on that directive, the Vehicle Inspection Services in collaboration with ministry of works organised a launch of MOT, yellow papers for vehicle operators in the state. 

However, trouble started at the venue of the launch at ministry of works' premises with commissioner Ankpo Pius in attendance, when thugs numbering over 20  armed with machette and dangerous weapons invaded the event venue scattered materials and carted away some sensitive documents and equipment belonging to vehicle inspection services department.

Investigation by The Beagle News revealed that the thugs, allegedly hired by commissioner for transport, Pastor Cobham, manhandled some staff, invited guests and disrupted the event.

But the staff of VIO and that of works department resisted and succeeded in arresting two of the hoodlums and two of the vehicles used for the operation and later took them to police station for documentation.

It was learnt that  amidst all the commotion, works commissioner, Pius, told his staff to remain calm.

Denying that he hired thugs to disrupt the ministry of works event, the commissioner for transportation, Pastor Ekpeyong Cobham, through his 
 Special Assistant, Joseph Davis Agba, Cibham said: “It’s ridiculous to say that I went to the Commissioner for Works’ office with thugs to cart away documents that were useful to his office.
 “The Commissioner for Transportation did not meet with the Commissioner for Works. He neither came in contact with him, nor did he have any argument or altercation with the commissioner.

“Let it be on record that we didn’t even see each other let alone shaking hands with each other. This allegation and speculation is absolutely not true and fake.”

Cobham called on the Director, Vehicle Inspection Office, VIO, Engr. Paul Bepeh, work in tandem with the present administration's policy transforming the state transport sub-sector, adding that transportation ministry is the only one with the mandate to supervise the Traffic Management Regulatory and Monitoring Agency, (TRAMRA).

All calls put across to the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ankpo Pius, could not be returned.

Reacting,  the Director, Vehicle Inspection Office, Engr. Bepeh, refuted claims in some quarters that his office has refused to honour the SSG and AG’s letters, saying that vehicle inspection services is now domiciled in the ministry of works office.

Bepeh said, “I feel the new dispensation of Prince Otu’s administration. The VIO is charged with the responsibility of witnessing motor ordinance tests, given the peculiarity of the job."

But a letter cited by The Beagle News and from Attorney General's (AG) Office dated September 26, 2023 and titled"Re: Appeal for the Review of Regulatory Law in the Transportation Sub-Sector," signed by the Director and Head, Legal Drafting and Commercial Laws Department, for the AG and Commissioner for Justice, addressed to the Commissioner, Ministry of Transportation, mandated the Transport Commissioner to take charge of the supervision of TRAMRA, which the vehicle inspection unit is under.

Another letter signed by the SSG, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh, dated November 23, 2023, also mandated transportation commissioner to take charge of affairs at TRAMRA.

An inside source in the office of Head of Service revealed  that Otu's new reforms police has placed the mandate of VIO in the ministry of works where they originally belong and that commissioner for transportation has no iota of right to go another ministry and disrupt official functions, calling the Governor to take drastic measures to forestall future occurrence.

He pointed out there is need to harmonise duties among the ministries for effective functioning and implementation of government policies.