The task force on illegal street trading and motor parks reconstituted by the Rivers State Governor, Barr Nyesom Ezenwo Wike recently commenced work Monday January 4, 2021.
Speaking with newsmen at Government House, Port Harcourt, the coordinator of the Task force, DSP Felix Nwadibeyi (rtd) said they will first go on sensitization of the public, displaying their vehicles with the task force members.
He disclosed that the recruited members have undergone all forms of training by the authorities concerned to be of good behavior.
He assured that the mode of operation and reaction to defaulters would be quite different from the disbanded group.
The coordinator also stated that none of the discredited members of the task force will make the new list as they recruit this time around.
“This is a new improved RSG taskforce with humane face but determined to achieve results,” he declared.
Also speaking, the commander of the security operatives attached to the task force DSP Okutu Chris also promised that the taskforce members will be civil in course of their duties and that any defaulter would be promptly arrest and hand over to the nearest Police Division for prosecution, which he noted is the essence of their presence without any physical scuffle.
He also disclosed that the task force will be divided into morning and afternoon sections for effective coverage of the metropolis and appeal for cooperation from members of the public.
However, there were mixed reaction from the public as the task force went about seizing traders wares and goods eventually.
At the education bus stop in Mile One Diobu the vendors protested the carting away of their newspapers and destruction of their tables, saying that they were not part of the illegal traders.
Later, the following day, the task force members were mild on them but asked the vendors not to display their umbrellas which many said was inhumane considering the sunny weather.
Some persons interviewed on the street, said the task force is necessary to maintain the cleanliness of the state but that they should be considerate on the public especially with the harsh effect of the Coronavirus around.
Mr. Cletus Amadi said they should recall the reason why the taskforce was banned in the first place and behave maturely while carrying out their responsibility this time.
It would be recalled that the former RSG task force was disbanded on August 11, 2020 as a result of the wild behavior of its members which led to chasing of an offending driver to his untimely death, as well as the shooting to death of a woman traffic police by her colleague attached to the taskforce.
A trader Mrs. Maria Amachree warned the task force members to resist the temptation of extorting money from the public through any means which she said normally brings the public and the task force to collision path.
