The transport commissioner, Ekpenyong Cobham, says only about five per cent of the commercial drivers in Cross River are trained and certified.

Mr Cobham said this in an interview in Calabar on Monday, reacting to a protest by some minibus drivers.

Some commercial minibus operators had protested the state government’s decision to direct them to paint a uniform colour and obtain security coding.

During the protest, the drivers described the government’s decision as harsh and exploitative.

The commissioner said the decision to enforce a uniform colour for commercial transport operators in the state was for security and aesthetic reasons.

”This issue was discussed with the drivers before the cost was reduced from N80,000 to N51,400. Security coding is a law that has existed in the state since 2021. It is to enable the ministry to identify the owners of vehicles and not just the drivers,” he said.

He said that many commercial drivers in the state flagrantly abused traffic laws because they lacked the requisite training and certification.

”It is sad that we have many commercial transport operators that are not professionals but transitory drivers. Many of them were motorcycle riders who moved to riding tricycles before becoming bus drivers. They do not have drivers’ licence, some of them that have licences did not go through driving tests,” he said.

He said successive governments concentrated heavily on revenue drive without paying attention to safety and regulations.

”This attitude has bastardised the transportation sector. We have to sanitise this sector in the interest of our people,” he said.

Mr Cobham said the state government’s intention was purely to enthrone sanity and make the transport system safer for the people.

(NAN)