The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has ordered a crackdown on unregistered dispatch riders operating in the state as part of measures to address security concerns and revenue leakages.
The resolution was reached during plenary following the consideration of a motion sponsored by the member representing Essien Udim State Constituency, Ukpong Akpabio.
The motion, titled “The Need to Comprehensively Enforce Industry Regulations and Guidelines on Unregistered Dispatch Riders in Akwa Ibom State,” was debated by lawmakers before the resolution was adopted.
The House directed the Ministry of Transport to immediately begin and sustain a comprehensive review of existing operational guidelines governing dispatch riding services in the state, with emphasis on identifying and sanctioning operators who are not registered.
The Assembly also mandated its Committee on Works and Transport to ensure full compliance with the resolution.
Akpabio, while presenting the motion, said there was an urgent need to strengthen enforcement of regulations guiding dispatch riding operations in the state.
He cited security concerns, revenue losses and unfair competition among the issues linked to the activities of unregistered dispatch riders.
In a separate motion of urgent public importance, the Assembly also addressed the worsening gully erosion situation in Oron Local Government Area.
The motion, sponsored by the member representing Oron/Udung Uko State Constituency, Kenim Onofiok, focused on the need for urgent intervention and remediation of the affected areas.
The House called on the state government, through the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, to declare a state of emergency on the erosion site threatening communities in the area.
Lawmakers also urged the immediate mobilisation of civil engineering contractors to carry out emergency shoreline stabilisation, drainage channelisation and structural remediation works to prevent further expansion of the erosion ravines.
The Assembly further called on the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide urgent relief materials and implement temporary relocation measures for families and communities at risk.
