Traffic Shocker For NDDC Boss   

PORT HARCOURT: No one is above the law is a phrase popular with holders of public office in Nigeria, especially when they are new in office. But most are unable to maintain this stance for as long as their resolve is often weakened by the rosiness of their stations or other considerations. It was thus a delight to see Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State stick to this rule last Monday. And the culprit was no less a personality than the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Chibuzor Ugwuoha, who was arrested and reprimanded by the Governor for contravening traffic rules by allowing his convoy to drive against traffic on a busy Port Harcourt road.

Gov. Rotimi Amechi of River State.

The incident occurred at 3.22 pm near the Eliozu overhead bridge along Chief G.U Ake Road that links Aba and Ikwerre roads in Port Harcourt. And it came barely 48 hours after South-South Governors intervened in the NDDC crisis and saved the board from being dissolved.

The NDDC boss’ convoy, made up of a pilot car with mobile policemen and three other vehicles, had jumped from their lane into the opposite lane, driving against oncoming traffic. Unknown to them, however, Governor Amaechi was driving himself, leading his convoy on an unscheduled inspection of projects.

On sighting the errant convoy, Amaechi blocked the road and ordered the cars to reverse and cross over to the proper lane. Expressing dismay that the NDDC boss would allow the convoy in which he was travelling to drive against traffic, the Governor lectured him that, as a public figure who should live by example and not to flout laws, his conduct was disappointing. Thereafter, Amaechi personally ensured that the convoy of the NDDC boss reversed and drove back over 500 metres to the exact point along the road where it had violated traffic rules. He then continued on his inspection tour.

“If I can stay on the queue and obey traffic why can’t he do the same; it is his duty to be law abiding at all times,” Governor Amaechi contended.

It would be recalled that not long ago, the Governor personally ordered the arrest of a local government chairman from Abia State he caught driving against traffic along the busy Port Harcourt/Aba Expressway. He was detained for several hours at the police headquarters along Moscow Road, Port Harcourt. On several occasions, Amaechi has arrested police escorts along the Trans-Amadi Industrial Area, Port Harcourt and impounded the vehicles they were driving and the company vehicles they were aiding to drive against traffic. And driving incognito, he has arrested policemen extorting money from taxi drivers.

– Reported by Okafor Ifiebor.