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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has inaugurated a task force on street trading, illegal markets and motor parks, with a charge to the task force to sanitise the streets and return Port Harcourt to its Garden City status.
Inaugurating the committee, yesterday, at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said the task force is a product of law, following his assent to the Rivers State Street Trading, Illegal Markets and Motor Parks (Prohibition) Bill No. 8 of 2019.
He said all the operatives of the task force have been profiled by the Department of State Services and the police, while those found wanting have been weeded out. He said more appointments will be made into the task force to replace those screened out by the security agencies.
“All of us love the state and we must love it fully. Not in half measures. When we build roads, before you know what is happening, the roads are taken over by street traders and illegal motor parks.
“The task force has the responsibility of cleaning up the streets. Ensure that nobody trades on roads. You must wear your vests and identity cards during your work period,“ he said.
He said mobile courts have been established on a zonal basis and charged the operatives to take arrested street traders, mechanics and illegal motor park operators to the mobile courts for prosecution .
Governor Wike warned the task force operatives against extorting money from street traders and mechanics. He said any operative indicted for bribe taking would be sacked and replaced.
