Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri,
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has threatened tough measures against heavy-duty trucks found overloading with industrial and household goods along Maiduguri-Dikwa-Gambouru/Ngala road.
According to him, the 135-kilometre federal road, is a gateway to Cameroon, Chad and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Zulum gave the warning, yesterday (Thursday), in Maiduguri, while meeting with leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Commissioner of Transport and other security agencies at Government House.
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“Henceforth, I have directed the introduction of weighing trucks plying the Maiduguri-Dikwa-Gambouru border road,” he said.
The Governor, who expressed disappointment over the nonchalant attitudes of some road users, said: “The truck drivers carry overloaded goods that destroyed our border roads.”
He noted that the union had previously agreed to comply with government directives; but continue to breach the agreement on plying the roads.
He continued; “What we want is to stop the issue of overloading. No one is stopping anybody from loading goods, especially in the trans-border trade.
“I and the people of Borno have expressed delight over the effort of the federal government led by President Tinubu on the issue of trans-border trade.
“But that shouldn’t be at the detriment of the people of the state, as well as the federal government.
He lamented that the entire roads are destroyed, that led to an issue of not adhering to the rules and regulations trucks’ minimum weights.
“My interface to the stakeholders meeting with the road transport union is to warn and bring to their kind attention,” he warned.
Zulum said henceforth, any vehicle that is plying major roads carrying goods beyond the maximum weight of truck loads shall be confiscated.
The governor said, the vehicles coming into Maiduguri could also escalate the situation; pledging that; “We will ensure a wider range of publications for those trucks drivers coming into Borno on our stand on the overloaded of trucks in the state.
On curtailing of overloading, he said: “We will also look at the state laws and that of the federal law to propose a bill that will be sent to the State Assembly to amend a portion of BOTMA with stiff penalties for defaulters, including the drivers.
“We want a situation where all trucks would load their goods not exceeding more than 40 tones each within the state,” he said.
The Governor, therefore, directed the Commissioner of Works, Aliyu Mohammed Buba to ensure the completion of trailer park in four to six weeks.
He added that the State government will set a Tax Force Committee (TFC) with representatives of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Union to checkmate the excesses of drivers on roads.
While thanking Zulum for the measures, the Commissioner of Transport, Aliyu Mohammed Buba said: “This is an opportunity to amend some of the ongoing mistakes in the Ministry of Transport.
The transport boss, on behalf of the Ministry and NURTW pledged to take all the necessary action ordered by the Governor.
He noted that this will ensure that the overloading of trucks plying the roads and bridges are stopped in the state.
“A weight-bridge will be built along the 135-kilometre Muna-Gambouru-Ngala road,” he said, adding that the Ministry of Transport and Borno State Traffic Management Agency (BOTMA) will work with the support of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies.
