Dare Babalola
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has ordered the immediate and indefinite suspension of all field operations of the Imo State Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO).
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, made the disclosure in a statement issued on Monday night.
Uzodimma’s directive followed the death of a commercial motorcyclist and his passenger after a vehicle operated by ENTRACO personnel rammed into them on Monday afternoon.
The incident occurred after the ENTRACO personnel impounded the vehicle for alleged violation of traffic regulation and then drove off at high speed.
ENTRACO is an agency of the Imo State Government dedicated to enforcement of environmental sanitation and traffic regulation in the state.
Governor Uzodimma, according to Nwachuku, said he was not unmindful of other “recent ugly incidents” where the mode of operations of ENTRACO was brought into question by residents of the state
The governor warned that the immediate suspension of ENTRACO operations is not a license for residents of the state to violate traffic, environmental, and other laws, stressing that violators of such laws will be sanctioned.
The statement read in part, “Henceforth, any person or group of persons operating in the name or guise of ENTRACO or any task force in any form or manner shall be liable for criminal conduct and visited with the full weight of the law.
“Accordingly, His Excellency has directed the Commissioner of Police to arrest and prosecute with precision anyone seen operating under the name or guise of ENTRACO, as well as members of any other task force found harassing or intimidating Imo citizens.
“In addition, His Excellency has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the activities of ENTRACO and related task forces. Those found culpable will face the full wrath of the law, regardless of who is involved.
“The government encourages Imo people with evidence of any breach of the law by the operatives of ENTRACO and their agents to come forward to the police and members of the investigative panel, whose composition will be announced soon.”
