Chief Johnson Apla, chairman of Greater Virtue for Traffic Watch & Development Initiative, GVTWDI, a non-governmental organisation, talks about the objectives of the NGO to revitalize the Traffic Warden Service with the aid of Traffic Control Support Corps, TCSC, he has just set up to help reduce gridlocks in urban cities. EXCERPTS:
What motivated you to go into this new venture, given the existence of many organisations related to traffic control in the country?
In 1990, the then Assistant Inspector General of Police (Finance) unilaterally slashed the salary of Traffic Wardens by 50%. She gave the impression that Traffic Wardens were not doing anything. In law, such action was ultra vires, meaning that, the AIG or Police exercised powers beyond their limit. Based on that negative development, Traffic Wardens boldly went to the Federal High Court, Kaduna, to seek redress in Suit No. FHC/KD/CS/134/97. Judgment was delivered on 12 February 1999.
The Court ruled that Traffic Wardens, TWs, are the products of a separate Agency established by the Federal Government and that TWs should function or perform their duties independently. The Court ruled in favour of Traffic Warden Service autonomy.
Although those who went to Court were clamouring for the Court to ask the Nigeria Police to treat Traffic Wardens as part and parcel of the NPF, the Court told them they were not members of the NPF because they were products of a separate Establishment. Traffic Wardens were confused about that judgment. They went to the Appeal Court, Kaduna, insisting that they are part and parcel of the NPF and should restore all the rights and other entitlements the Police unilaterally withdrew from them and also pay the cost incurred during the case. So, there was a cross-appeal on the case.
In Suit No. CA/K/112/99 which judgment was delivered on 18 May 2000, the Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court and told Wardens that the judgment might not meet their current yearns but would be of relevance to their service in future.
GTVWDI took up the cause of the Traffic Warden Service in 2002, and applied for a writ of execution through its Counsel; that was granted and a Court Order was issued to us to enforce the judgment on behalf of the Federal Government.
The Police thought that no one dared to question their illegality on Traffic Wardens. The NGO meticulously sponsored the Traffic Warden Service Bill (HB 596) which was passed as an Act of the National Assembly. By the previous judgments and passing of the TWS Bill, the Police ceased to be a Traffic Agency. Right now the Police are holding Traffic Wardens illegally.
However, The TWS Bill was not transmitted to Mr. President and C-in-C for his assent; which created a delay in the execution of the court judgment. Now, the NGO is working on going back to the National Assembly to warm the TWS Bill as expected traditionally and get the current Legislative Assembly to give the NGO the full right to formally convert members of the TCSC into the Traffic Warden Service and officially launch an autonomous Traffic Warden Service.
Does it mean that, the NGO will integrate the TWS into the new Traffic Control Support Corp?
Our mission is to reposition the Traffic Warden Service back to its statutory function on the roads. The TWS is the Establishment. TCSC is a meticulous programme of intervention to lend support to the few Traffic Wardens on the road.
The status of the Traffic Warden Service/Traffic Wardens in the Public Service has to be clarified to the understanding of all and sundry. TWS has been this while, a separate legal Establishment, a product of the statutory laws of the Federation of Nigeria via Decree 21 of 1975 though it was conscripted to work illegally under the NPF. By the statute, it was not supposed to work under any other Establishment.
The TWS is not a product of the Nigeria Police Ordinance Law. It was not the Nigeria Police that initiated the idea to establish the Traffic Warden Service in the first instance. Rather, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing then under Alhaji Femi Okunu (as Federal Commissioner) conceived the idea and advocated for the setting up of the Agency. The Traffic Warden Service was supposed to assist the Ministry, particularly in generating revenue from road traffic activities around the federation. The Ministry wanted to have absolute control over such income emanating from the roads she constructs, maintains and repairs. So the Traffic Warden Service was meant to take over the road traffic control function from the Nigeria Police.
So, the NGO has been purely on a rescue mission for the TWS to take back her statutory function on the roads.
So, the Traffic Control Support Corp is not coming to supplant the existing Traffic Warden Service?
Such is a misconception. Rather, the Traffic Control Support Corp is the vision of the NGO to intervene in the confused road traffic control function. The Nigeria Police have since 2007 refused to recruit fresh Traffic Wardens. It might be a way to gradually phase out TWS. The Corp would in the meantime we are working on the assent of Mr. President to the TWS Bill, and support the few Traffic Wardens on the roads as volunteers, especially at flashpoints. When the President assents to the Bill and it becomes a Law, members of TCSC shall automatically be converted to Traffic Wardens.
Will this approach not bring you into collision with the NPF?
No. We believe those in the top echelon of the NPF are educated and responsible and believe in the sanctity of the rule of law. They must obey the judgments which their predecessors have neglected over the years. We do not anticipate any untoward stance from their side. Our concern is that if the Traffic Wardens were unable to exert their rights and enforce the autonomy granted their service as a result of military or quasi-military ethics, someone has to do that for them. This is precisely what our NGO is doing.
What is the full plan for the new Corp?
Our master plan is to establish our new Corp across all 36 states and FCT. It is a massive job creation plan and we will recruit at least 10,000 members per state and FCT. That is a total of 370,000 men and women. However, our focus is on the young and fresh graduates many of whom are currently jobless. We plan to employ at least 1,400,000 Nigerians within four years.
In addition to the large number of recruits, we will bring in all the serving Traffic Wardens into the new TCSC so that our NGO’s activities will effectively complement the federal government’s agenda on job creation.
How far have you carried along vital security agencies and key government officials?
Since 2022 we have carried along all relevant agencies. In November 2022, we officially wrote to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Justice of Nigerian, CJN, Senate and House of Representatives, Department of State Service, DSS, FRSC, Vehicle Inspection Office, VIO, NSCDC and Minister of Finance about our commencement of enforcing the autonomy granted the TWS and that we have put in place a new Traffic Control Support Corp. Our letters were warmly received by the respective offices.
How do you intend to implement recruitment into TCSC so that there will be transparency?
It is a seamless process. First, we have set up a website where all interested persons can download applications at a nominal fee, upload their details and submit them.
Next, very soon we shall put up advertisements in newspapers, online platforms and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, to alert young school leavers about the new opportunity.
And thirdly, we shall have offices in all the 36 states and FCT.
