Cross River State Government said it will start branding all commercial transport operating in the Central and Northern senatorial districts of the state to curb crime in the area.

The chairman of the state Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency CTRA Efa Nyong, who disclosed this in an interview with The Guardian in Calabar weekend, said the innovation is part of the reforms and restructuring put in place by the agency for a uniform operation in the state.

He said this will entail all commercial transport owners or drivers to register their vehicles with the agency, spray them in the state blue and white colours at subsidised cost, code the vehicles with a distinct number for easy identification and also be captured in the agency’s data base to checkmate crime such as armed robbery, kidnapping, among other criminal activities in the state.

He said for the central senatorial district, drivers are expected to register their vehicles with CTRA office in Ikom while those in the northern register in its Ogoja office.

The chairman said under the reform, drivers are expected to go through a reorientation to enable them really understand the operations of the agency and also carry identity cards for easy identification in case of any situation.

“Before this, we intend to meet with the local government council chairmen of the area,have a town hall meeting with the various commercial transport unions to keep them abreasted with the innovation our operations which is in the interest of all,” he said.

Nyong said over 90 percent of drivers and commercial transport owners have so far complied with the reforms in Calabar, the state capital and will soon start to beneft from the health and welfare packages put in place for them by the agency at no cost.

He said one of the packages put in place for registered commercial transport operators in the state include a health scheme which allows them to get first aid treatment for accident victims at Asi
Ukpo hospital, one of the reputable health institutions, east of the Niger at no cost.”We are currently exploring other incentives to make commercial transportation attractive for the operators” he said.

The chairman, who reiterated the agency’s zero tolerance for corruption, urged the drivers to report any case of extortion by its enforcement officers to the agency for prompt action.

Some of the commercial transport drivers thanked the chairman of the agency for the innovation which they agree will bring sanity to the business in the state.

While decrying the operations of the enforcement team, they called for training and a reorientation for the enforcement officers.