We must regulate movement of heavy duty trucks on Nigerian roads, says Okowa

·         Bans movement of heavy duty trucks that carry dredged sand on Isioma Onyeobi Way 

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has called for the regulation of  the movement of heavy duty trucks on Nigerian roads.

Governor Okowa who decried the failure of Isioma-Onyeobi Way/Ngozi Rapu Street, Asaba, observed that while the roads were constructed to take 30 tonnes of weight and less, it was unfortunate that some trucks with 45 tonnes weight were making use of the roads leading to their early collapse.

The governor who inspected the reconstruction of the 1.86 kilometres Isioma Onyeobi Way/Ngozi Rapu Street on Tuesday (25/10/16) was accompanied by the Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, that of Information, Mr Patrick Ukah; the Director-General of Delta State Capital Territory Development Authority, Chief Clem Ofuani; the Political Adviser to the governor, Chief Festus Ochonogor, among others.

"We have had obviously very bad issues with these overweight trucks plying some of our roads that were not meant for such weight," he said, decrying the destruction of the Isioma Onyeobi Way/Ngozi Rapu Street by the heavy duty trucks.

According to him, "this road was originally built for smaller vehicles, it was rehabilitated last year and we have been told that private heavy duty trucks carrying a lot of weight are plying the road; the road is totally damaged."

He banned the movement of heavy duty trucks that carry dredged sand on Isioma Onyeobi Way noting that the area was originally designed as GRA and should remain so.

"We want to move dredging activities and the trucks outside the town," he reiterated.

Reacting to the socio-economic effect of such a ban, the governor disclosed that such was contemplated before the decision was taken, stating that an area has been mapped out for the operation of the sand dredgers within the state capital territory.

Governor Okowa emphasized, "we don't want to get people out of job that is why we are relocating them to another part of the town, this area is in the heart of the town, this is originally, the GRA in Asaba before the GRA phase II came into being."