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| Picture showing display of Tokunbo cars on Isale-Igbein road, the dealers have occupied two lanes of the four lanes in that axis |
Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji
ABEOKUTA - The impunity by roadside automobile sellers in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital has gone over board as they have turned the state's roads to car port where cars are displayed for purchase.
The growing exercise has become unbearable for motorists and residents and other road users in the state capital.
THE ENCOUNTER NEWS observed that, major roads in Abeokuta metropolis have become avenues for display of cars for prospective buyers.
Places visited by our reporter such as Isale-Igbein, Oke-yeke, Oke-Ilewo, Ibara, Oke-Ijeun, Ijaiye, Idi-Aba, Abiola way, Leme, Onikolobo, Panseke, Quarry, Lafenwa, Ita-Oshin have Tokunbo or used cars on display for sale by car dealers.
This misdemeanor however, most times caused artificial traffic logjam as the roads become impassable most times with the displayed cars constituting obstruction on the access roads.
At Isale-Igbein, immediately after Amolasho junction down to grammar school, these automobile dealers have occupied two lanes from the four lanes to display their cars, while the spare parts dealers also attend to their customers who brought cars for customization or replacement of vehicle parts.
This ugly development usually leaves commuters stranded along that route as taxi drivers find it difficult to have space to park for passengers to either board the taxis or disembark.
In most cases while anomalies persist, impatient taxi drivers resort to parking on the middle of the road which is the third lane to pick up or drop passengers when they could not find a conducive space.
The situation in this axis has caused accidents in recent times as motorcycles or vehicles descending from Ibara-Oke-Igbein sloppy road, usually lost control in front of the Fatgbems filling as a result of the slow vehicular movement caused by the car dealers.
At Oke-yeke, the two lanes road have also been overwhelmed by the display of automobile at both sides of it.
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| The car dealers at Oke-Yeke road displaying their automobiles by the roadside of the dual lane |
The situation is not different at Oke-Ilewo-Ibara. The mobile phone sellers have joined in creating obstructions with their wares and thereby causing gridlock along Ibara bridge due to indiscriminate parking and sales of automobile along that road.
This bad occurrence couple with the traffic light which usually delayed traffic flow for few seconds, has continued to constitute artificial gridlock along that axis.
Some of the spare parts and car dealers at Isale-Igbein claimed to be paying for space allocation on the road monthly to the Ogun state Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) and the blue uniformed Parking Control agency.
According to Wasiu Olaleye, a car dealer at Isale-Igbein, they were authorized by TRACE and the State Parking Control to display their automobiles after paying the monthly fee of N20,000 each.
Another dealer who corroborated the claim said, after paying the N10,000 monthly space rentage to TRACE, the Parking Control also gets N5000 weekly.
Motorists and residents who ply these roads condemned the ignominious attitude calling on the state government to sanction these car dealers and clear the roads of for sale cars.
When contacted the TRACE Public Relations Officer, Commander Babatunde Akinbiyi said the traffic control agency is currently reviewing the issue at its management meeting.
According to Akinbiyi, the agency has set up a task force team to sensitize the automobile sellers on the need to vacate those vehicles on the roads.
we are on top of the situation as the issue has been brought to our notice, so, we are already reviewing it at our management meeting.
"We have set up a task force team to give them last warning on vacating their vehicles within this week, but if they continue to default, we won't hesitate to tow away those vehicles."
On the alleged space allocation payment to TRACE, Akinbiyi debunked the allegation, saying it is fallacy and untrue.
He added that, the traffic agency cannot encourage indiscriminate parking on the major to the detriment of the road users.
"Let them show you receipt of the payment if truly their claim are genuine. But, we cannot be intimidated, we shall give them the benefit of doubt to relocate their vehicles."
When contacted, the Chief Operating Officer, Ogun State Parking Management Scheme, Engr. Wale Yusuf described the N5000 payment allegation as untrue, challenging the automobile dealers to provide evidence of payment.
Engr. Yusuf who frowned at the indiscriminate parking by the dealers, assured that the state government would work out modalities in curbing the menace.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Internally Generated Revenue Service (OGIRS) has accused the Parking Management Scheme of lacking in its responsibility.
A staff of the IRS who preferred anonymity claimed both TRACE and Parking Control ought to have taken away those cars off the roads, saying the revenue service is only responsible for registering car dealers with corporate show room.
"We are aware of the situation, but it is not our responsibility to hold them responsible. We are not collecting money from them because we didn't authorised it. Before you can be a registered car dealer under us, you must have an organised show room. It is the responsibility of Ogun State Parking Management Scheme to enforce decency and control traffic on the roads not the duty of Internal Revenue."
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