By Kelvin Ololo And Sylvia Akpan
The Cross River State Government has reviewed and announced a reduction in transport tickets and traffic-related fines after CrossRiverWatch’s investigation on high ticketing, extortion and abuse of commercial drivers by the agents of the transport regulatory agencies.
This also followed the recent protest by commercial drivers in Calabar over high levies and alleged harassment by enforcement officials.
The decision was contained in a press release issued on Friday 6 March 2026 by the Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Linus Obogo, on behalf of Governor Edet Otu.
Commercial bus drivers in the Calabar metropolis had earlier staged a protest, blocking major roads and demanding the reduction of daily tickets and other levies imposed by transport regulatory agencies. The drivers accused officials of the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA), the Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA), and the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) of excessive fines and harassment.
Recalled that CrossRiverWatch has investigated How Cross River Transport Agencies’ Untrained Touts Squeeze Drivers Dry To Meet Targets. A story that exposed how the untrained touts who who enforce transport rules milk drivers dry.
Responding to the concerns, Goovernor Bassey Otu approved several measures aimed at easing the burden on drivers and restoring order within the transport system.
According to the release, daily tickets for commercial bus operators have been reduced from ₦850 to ₦500, while the penalty for failure to purchase the ticket has been reviewed to ₦10,000.
The government also announced a 50 percent reduction in all traffic-related fines, with payments to be made strictly into designated Cross River State Government accounts. This is compare to the enforcement agents who force drivers to pay cash to them on the spot.
Similarly, the daily ticket for tricycle riders has been reduced from ₦1,200 to ₦500. However, the government directed that tricycle operators must end their operations by 6:00 p.m., as night operations have been permanently banned.
The statement further clarified the roles of transport enforcement agencies in the state to curb overlapping responsibilities and alleged extortion.
The Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) will now focus strictly on the registration of commercial vehicles, sale of tickets at approved rates, and enforcement of ticket compliance, adding that all enforcement personnel must operate in proper uniforms with verifiable identification.
The Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA), according to the directive, will confine its operations strictly to its statutory responsibilities relating to traffic management.
In the same vein, the operations of the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) have been restricted to their offices.
READ ALSO: Taxi Drivers Shut Down Calabar Over Alleged Harassment By Task Force, VIO, FRSC
The government directed that all dues, levies and fines should be paid only into the official government account provided, warning against payments to individuals or unauthorized agents.
The designated account details include TIN No. 1900737994-001, with the payer’s name listed as DOPT, Calabar, and the revenue description stated as Road Taxes/Penalty Fee.
In what the government described as part of the Governor’s “Season of Sweetness” initiative, mini-bus drivers and tricycle riders have also been exempted from purchasing tickets on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
The new directives are expected to take effect from Monday, March 9, 2026, while members of the public and transport operators have been urged to cooperate with the relevant government agencies to ensure compliance and order in the transport sector.
The state government said the measures were designed to address the grievances of drivers, improve regulation within the transport system, and ensure that revenue collection is transparent and properly channeled into government coffers.
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