Traffic Issue in Ilorin; who has the blame?

 

Traffic is no longer a new thing to witness in our community. It is consider to  part of what make up a city, especially a city with large population. Most people even have this tenets  that every populous community can never be traffic free. Although,  with proper management and control, traffic can surely be avoided. 

However, the issue of traffic in our community can never be reported if there is no reason behind that  infact  there are some cities  that has larger population and are still able to control  traffic . 

Ilorin, the capital of Kwara state is not an exemption of a city  faced with issue of traffic. Despite the  pro-active measure put in place by the government against it, Issues of traffic is still  been reported, especially, in some of the most strategic place in the city. 

Some of the radio  stations  in Ilorin has also introduce programs where areas with traffic issues will be reported so as any motorist that will be passing through the place will know how to plan themselves.

Places like Post-office,  Challenge Junction, Maraba junction and Offa-garage always give people a bothering mind whenever they need to pass through the place, most especially around evening time when everyone will be planning to return home. These places, despite  been fully supervised by traffic control officers is still always free from traffic except on Sundays.  However,  the cause of the traffic is Still unknown, could it   be from the either the motorist ; or the officers who are in control of the traffic?

 It is believed that, average motorist in Nigeria are illiterates when it comes to  the knowledge of road signs,  and   It is not possible to obey the rules you are not aware of. Ignorance of motorist to road signs is a major  reason why most of them disobey the the traffic officer whenever they tried to control them. 

According to the word from a traffic control officer, who doesn't not want his identity to be disclosed, he said, " controlling man can be difficult and motorist did not even make this work to look very impressive to us, because no matter how we try our best to control and reduce traffic; some of them will still find it difficult to obey simple instructions.  They supposed to know that even though we are being paid for this service we are rendering, we are still discomforting ourselves in other to bring comfort to our community. If all motorist can become obedient and literate to traffic rule, there won't be traffic and even if there is, it will be less. And they even know that all those line on the has meaning that must be strictly adhered to." 

Morealso, most of the Automatic traffic lights in Ilorin Metropolis are  no longer functioning as they ought to. While some are are not working at all, some are even malfunctioning. The directive given by the traffic lights is sometimes said to be confusing. Infact, according an observation carried out at Challenge Junction, the traffic light in that area usually gives a confusing signs. It is even because of that they positioned traffic officer in that place to be in control. 

Also,  some motorists are always in a hurry to get to where they are going. And this could make them not to obey the traffic rules. They will not even wait for green  light before they will move and this could confuse other motorists too.  

The way people park on the road side also need serious management and control. Motorists will  just park their car without considering if it will affect or not. 

Some areas also link together, and there may not be any traffic officer or Automatic traffic machine that will control road users. In a situation like this, traffic can never be avoided. 

Traffic officers could also be the caused of this traffic, sometimes they will leave there post maybe to eat, or do something else  without looking for replacement. Sometimes they might just abandoned working and they will be lookinh at how people are to unable to obey or control the traffic easily.

According to a road user, he said, " Those traffic officers are lazy. Sometimes they will just sit down inside that place without doing anything and they will not try to control the traffic. Some of them will not even come go to their post at all. Although there are some of them who works really hard too...."

Government however are also expected to take note of any traffic light that is faulty and repaired it as soon as possible. Because most people consider the automatic way of controlling traffic as the best way. 

 

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