Abia Govt Ends Chaotic Roadside Loading With Nnenna Oti Mega Terminal

Commissioner Says Reforms Will Not Punish Operators, Seeks Stakeholder Cooperation

UMUAHIA — Abia State Government has declared its resolve to end chaotic roadside loading and traffic obstruction through the Nnenna Oti Bus Terminal in Umuahia and stricter safety enforcement across motor parks.

The Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chimezie Isaac Ukaegbu made this known while addressing the Emergency Congress of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abia State Council on Thursday at the Press Centre, Umuahia.

Dr. Ukaegbu said the terminal, commissioned on May 27, 2026, was built to provide central organised boarding, reduce roadside loading, improve passenger safety and support effective regulation of transport activities.

“A modern bus terminal is not simply a building; it is an instrument for reorganising urban mobility and improving the economic life of a city,” he said.

The Commissioner disclosed that the Ministry is engaging transport unions, park operators and commercial drivers to ensure reforms promote order without unnecessarily disrupting legitimate livelihoods.

He stressed that the objective is not to punish operators but to create a system where operators work productively and passengers travel safely.

On road safety, Ukaegbu announced that the Ministry held the inaugural Abia State Joint Terminal Safety and Security Induction Summit at the Nnenna Oti Terminal from September 30 to October 1, 2026, training 122 personnel on terminal security, threat awareness and emergency preparedness under the principle “one team, one mission—securing our terminal.”

He further revealed collaboration with Abia State Eye Health Management Bureau to promote eye health among drivers, noting that impaired vision contributes to accidents.

In observance of World Sight Day on October 15, 2026, themed “Safe Eyes, Safe Roads, Safe Lives,” he appealed to unions to prioritise regular eye checks for drivers.

“Protecting the eyesight of a driver is not merely a medical concern; it is an investment in lives of passengers,” he said.

Dr. Ukaegbu acknowledged challenges ahead but said under Governor Alex Otti’s leadership, the State is moving from fragmented arrangements to a coordinated, technologically enabled and environmentally responsible system, calling on NUJ and all stakeholders to join hands to move Abia forward.