The Lagos State government has announced a strict enforcement of its “no truck” policy following a tragic gas truck explosion beneath the Otedola Bridge on Tuesday night.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, made the declaration after leading a ministry delegation to assess the accident site.
Osiyemi emphasized that the truck involved had violated Lagos State laws by ignoring a clearly marked “no truck allowed” sign. He assured that the Ministry of Transportation would take decisive measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
“We visited the scene to evaluate what transpired two days ago. Although an initial team had assessed the situation, we needed to verify it firsthand and identify the cause,” Osiyemi stated.
“One of the immediate findings is that there’s a visible road sign prohibiting trucks from using this route. The presence of this truck here is a direct violation of Lagos State law. As the Ministry of Transportation, we will implement stricter enforcement, possibly by installing physical barriers to prevent heavy trucks from accessing such roads. Given the undulating nature of this road, it is unsuitable for trucks, and our goal is to put measures in place to avert future occurrences,” he added.
The commissioner attributed the rising truck accidents in Lagos to poor vehicle maintenance, blaming truck owners for failing to conduct necessary inspections.
To address this issue, he revealed that the state government is collaborating with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to conduct rigorous inspections and ensure trucks are roadworthy.
“We are strengthening our collaboration to inspect these trucks thoroughly. Those found unfit for the road will be confiscated. Our mandate is to clamp down on trucks that fail safety standards,” Osiyemi affirmed.
Regarding visible cracks on Otedola Bridge, Osiyemi noted that the Ministry of Transportation would escalate the matter to the Ministry of Environment, especially with the rainy season approaching.
He further assured that an integrity test would be conducted on the bridge in partnership with the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the Federal Ministry of Works. This test, expected to be completed within the week, will determine the bridge’s structural safety for motorists.
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