BY JUMAI NWACHUKWU
THE Director-General of the Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA), Hon. Benjamin Okiemute, yesterday, announced that the agency’s surveillance team will begin monitoring activities across the seven zones in the state.
Okiemute announced this during an official visit by DESTMA’s management and board members to the Agbor and Sapele Zonal Commands, stating that the monitoring team will commence by the end of February, in Delta North.
According to Okiemute, the initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance traffic management, monitor officers on duty, enforce road safety regulations, and reduce congestion in critical areas. Additionally, the move aims to curb corruption among officers, ensure proper conduct and attire at duty posts, and improve overall public safety.
The Director-General emphasized that the surveillance team would be equipped with modern monitoring tools to track and penalize traffic violations effectively, as well as discipline officers found guilty of misconduct.
To ensure professionalism, Okiemute assured officers that DESTMA personnel would undergo a rigorous three-month training and retraining programme, that would equip them with professionalism in their areas of duties.
In his remarks, the DESTMA Chairman, Chief Peter Idion, expressed displeasure over the lack of discipline displayed by some officers, stressing that the new administration would not tolerate non-compliance with agency policies.
He urged officers to be committed, transparent, and responsible in carrying out their duties, particularly when addressing traffic offenders.
Chief Idion assured the officers that the administration would provide each DESTMA officer with two uniforms and two pairs of boots as part of the agency’s rebranding efforts.
Speaking during the visit, the Zonal Head of the Sapele Zone, Engr. Pius Unukopia, commended DESTMA’s leadership for its efforts to rebrand the agency. He expressed optimism that the administration’s reforms would ensure maximum compliance with traffic regulations and foster the agency’s growth. He also pledged full commitment to working in alignment with DESTMA’s development agenda.
While many DESTMA officers have welcomed the initiative as a necessary measure for safer roads, some raised concerns about potential misconduct by traffic officials, particularly from sister agencies. They appealed to the Director-General to address issues involving police officers operating without uniforms and to ensure that DESTMA officials’ rights are respected.
