Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has banned cart pushers and prolonged packing of trailers in the state.

According to the governor, cart pushers are to blame for the frequent theft of manhole covers, which puts people’s lives and the state’s public safety in jeopardy.

Governor Wike stated that the city is being degraded by unlawful and indiscriminate trading on the streets, under flyovers, and other unauthorised open spaces during a state broadcast to mark the 2022 new year.

“These cart pushers and their unknown collaborators are also responsible for the recurring stealing of manhole covers, an act which endangers peoples’ lives and public safety on our roads. Consequently, the State Government has placed an immediate ban on the activities of cart pushers and directs law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone who attempts to violate this ban,” he said.

Wike said a taskforce will be formed to enforce the prohibition, while also urging with the courts to impose the harshest punishment possible under the law on any convicted manhole vandal in the interest of public safety and security.

Wike, on the other hand, has directed the state’s task force on illegal street trading to arrest and prosecute anyone seen peddling on, under, or near flyovers.

“I wish to therefore remind citizens that the ban on street trading and commuting on motor cycles in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas is still in force. The indiscriminate and prolonged packing of trailers and other articulated vehicles along our streets is another environmental menace we must tackle to bring sanity to our cities and living environment,” he said.

The Rivers state governor also urged the Chairmen of the Port Harcourt, Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, and Oyigbo Local Government Councils to impound or remove any trailer, truck, or articulated vehicle that has been parked on the streets for more than 48 hours in their administrative jurisdictions within three weeks from today.

𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕?
𝑾𝒆’𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒙 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒘!