PUWOV to collaborate with security agencies to curb crime in Edo says Yusuf-Osagie

The Coordinator of Edo State Public Works Volunteer, PUWOV, Mr. Mukhtar Yusuf-Osagie has assured that the organization will continue to work tirelessly with other security agencies to curb criminality and ensure peace and orderliness in the state.

Mr.Yusuf-Osagie gave this assurance while speaking with newsmen in his office in Benin.

He said since the organization came on board they have embarked on a series of sensitization and advocacy to educate the people on the dangers of breaking traffic rules, hawking on the street and trading on the walkway.

Mr. Yusuf-Osagie noted that a lot of commercial areas in the city which were inaccessible can now be accessed because their officials are working round the clock to ease vehicular movement in these areas.

” PUWOV has been working round the clock to decongest traffic and areas like Mission road, MM way, Lagos street, Lucky street by Ekiosa, Oregbeni market etc are now accessible by vehicles. We have been doing a lot of sensitization, advocacy and enforcement. Sensitization holds every two weeks to educate traders on where they should sell their wares”.

While saying that his organisation has reduced street and walkway trading to its barest minimum, Mr. Yusuf-Osagie maintained that these categories of persons are more at risk of getting knocked down by a vehicle.

The PUWOV Boss said that traffic and street trading offenders are charged to the Mobile Court and if found guilty will be made to do public works or an option of fine while those not found guilty are left to go about their business.

” We have a Mobile Court here that try offenders. Officials from the Correctional Centre, the Police Force, PUWOV, Health officers and a Magistrate are all present in the Court. When an offender is found guilty, he either pays a fine or embarks on some sort of public works but when not guilty, he or she is left to go”.

Mr. Yusuf- Osagie who said the place of information can not be overemphasized in carrying out their job called on the general public to report any breach of sanity in their vicinity through their helplines.

He stressed that any official of PUWOV found wanting in their job should also be reported noting that they can identify them through the number on their vest.

” PUWOV is calling on all to avail us with information of people breaching public peace, traffick offenders and even our officials found wanting in their duties. The information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. The official can be easily identified through the number written on their vest.

You can contact us through the following numbers; 09150322999, 08132030846. You either call or send us messages by text or WhatsApp. You can also support it with a photograph. I assure you that within 24 hours the issue will be treated”.

He also appealed to parents to apply caution inspite of the economic hardship while sending their children and wards around noting that most times these children are being exposed to societal vices.

PUWOV is a scheme established by Edo State government to restore sanity to motor parks, check street trading and display wares on the walkways.