STATE OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN ENUGU AND ITS EFFECT ON TRAFFIC EXAMINED

Some residents of Enugu State want government to ensure that traffic lights installed to ease vehicular movement were in perfect order. In this report, Radio Nigeria examines the state of the installations and their effect on traffic in Enugu metropolis.

Traffic lights are known by several names in different countries.  Some call it traffic signals, traffic lamps or traffic semaphore, while others call it signal lights, stop lights, traffic control signals and many more. They are used to control the movement of traffic on road junctions by means of coloured lights.  Red means stop, green go and yellow means proceed with caution.

How do people feel about the installation of traffic lights in the state capital.

‘’ It’s effective’’

‘’Traffic lights in Enugu Stateare good and okay. It enables us to know when to cross.’’

‘’It really helps controla lot of traffic’’.

‘’They shouldknow how to programme the traffic lights because the thing cause so much hold up.’’

 Different strokes for different folks they say, while some feel it is a good development and want it to be installed on all road junctions in the state, others feel it is a waste of their time. When Radio Nigeria went round the metropolis, its discovered that while some lights were working perfectly, the count down numbers and yellow lights of some were not working.  Still others had some of their components broken down.

It also observed that most of these lights stopped working as early as 6pm when the traffic was still very heavy. Though, these lights are meant to bring sanity on the road, Radio Nigeria also noted that queues were longer where the lights were operational than were the traffic wardens were in control.

The respondents are of the view that there is a lot of room for improvement. There are guidelines and laws on the operations of the traffic lights but sometimes, people break these rules. The Enugu State Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu says the command is on top of its game.

‘’We are not the one that made the law, Nigerians made the law and asked us to enforce it. You have committed an offence under the Road Traffic Act, then you will be arrested and arraigned under the Act.’’

 It was also suggested in some quarters that the time be adequately adjusted to prevent the hold up of vehicles and pedestrians. The respondents all agree that residents should be sensitized regularly to the correct use and punishment for breaking traffic light rules. Efforts to get the comments of the State Commissioner for Transport proved abortive as he was not deposed to talk.

NGOZI MBAH