Augustine Osayande
Federal lawmakers have raised concern on the frequent threats of heavy duty vehicles on the country highways. The House of Representatives called for an urgent action to stop this menace that is costing lives and properties. Honourable Nkeiruka Onyejiocha, representing Isiukwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State, saw the need to address and curb this menace and came up with a heart thrilling motion on the floor of the House of Representatives which enjoyed the support of the house.
The motion obliged all concerned government agencies both at the Federal and State level to ensure safety of lives and properties of Nigerians on highways, borders and seaports where the loading and off loading of these trucks, trailers and containers takes place before departure.
The media had widely reported the painful incident of an unlatched articulated vehicle carrying a 40-foot container which fell off a bridge at the popular Ojuelegba, Lagos State, killing three persons.
The horrific incident occurred when most workers were on their way home after their daily work. An eyes witness had blamed the driver of the truck for the incident. He said the truck fell over the bridge and landed on others smaller cars.
This incident reportedly caused a serious stampede as motorist plying the ever busy route abandoned their vehicles and fled for safety. Also several other varying degrees of injuries were sustained in the process by motorist and commuters as well.
Just few weeks later, there was a report of another container fell off a trailer on the same Ojuelegba Bridge in an attempt to ascend the bridge. Although no live was lost in this latest incident, but there was a heavy traffic bottlenecked on the ever-busy road which resulted from the accident.
Supporting the motion, another lawmaker, Shehu Shagari made it broader by drawing attention to other commercial motorist drivers who carry overloads. “I am not concerned about only tanker, truck or trailer drivers but also to other commercial motorist who carry overloads that slant the vehicle to one side while in motion. This poses a big danger and threat to human lives in our society” Shagari said.
Contributing, Isiaka Ibrahim Ayotunde, called on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to post more men to most highways in order to curb this menace. “Let them properly check and as well inspect all trailers, trucks, lorries carrying either containers, cement, concrete, sand and other vehicles who overloads their cars far above its maximum capacity, apart from paying fees and penalties, the vehicles should not be allowed to move, until due safety measures is being adhered to” Ayotunde said.
He added that the efforts of immigration officers, customs officers, naval officers in our borders and seaports should not be left out. “To correct this, let all the rear lights, brake lights of all these heavy duty vehicles and other commercial motorist be checked, let them be banned when found defaulted in order to save the lives of many Nigerians” he said.
On his part, Darlington Nwokeocha argues that only registered transportation systems be allowed to convey containers on the highways, while Aishatu Dukku added that measures should be taken to ensure the safety of trucks and all other heavy duty vehicles carrying containers and other goods in highways.
