FRSC Corps Marshal, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says articulated vehicles without minimum safety standards would be barred from operating in the nation’s Ports and tank farms as from Sept. 1.

Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, FRSC Corps Marshal, made this known on Monday while flagging off the “Operation Safe-To-Road” on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Oyeyemi, represented by the Assistant Corps Marshal, Victor Nwaokolo, in charge of Command Administration and Strategy, FRSC, Headquarters, said that the corps was passionate about maintaining sanity on major highways.

The corps marshal said that the “Operation Safe-To-Load” was in line with the Federal Government’s concerns for haulage operations in the country.

He said that the Federal Government had set up Inter-Ministerial Committee on haulage operations headed by Secretary to the Government of the Federation with all other stakeholders as members.

Oyeyemi said that implementation of the committee’s mandate was ongoing and would be concluded with action plan.

According to him, very soon, there will be policy statement from the Federal Government on the haulage operations.

“The haulage operation in Nigeria has been taken care of, and this is just a start of it.

“This will go on simultaneously with sensitisation slated to hold between July and August.

“From Sept.1, something will happen, something very good. Very soon, we will bring sanity to haulage operation in Nigeria.

“What is this all about? It is that all these, whether wet or dry cargo vehicles, keep to the minimum safety standard. If they don’t have it, they will not be on the road.

“There will be no operation (for articulated vehicles) in the Nigerian Port Authority- the port, no operation in the tank farms except the vehicles meet these minimum safety standards,” FRSC chief said.

According to him, articulated vehicles will be left with no other options than to meet the minimum safety standards, if they want to continue in business.

He said that FRSC would be very firm and strict in enforcing minimum safety standard for trucks and trailers on the corridor to end carnages on the highways.

Oyeyemi said that the target enforcement was on large containers’ latching of loads, tyre violation, failure to put speed limiting devices, lane discipline, number plate violation, driver’s licences, overloading, speed, among others.

“It (operation) is all about bringing sanity to articulated vehicles on this special corridor, very all-important corridor- Lagos-Sagamu-Ibadan.

“This exercise is because of the road traffic crashes that have been involving these categories of vehicles-tankers and trailers.

“These crashes have taken many lives and property on this corridor,’’ Oyeyemi said.

According to him, FRSC cannot continue to sit down and watch the crashes involving tankers and trucks on the corridor.

The corps marshal said that the FRSC’s 9 Unit commands on the corridor and others sister security agencies had come together to bring sanity to the road in the operation.

He said that the corps would ensure provision of mobile courts for quick dispensation of justice.
The FRSC chief said the transport unions in the sector were carried along, adding that the offences attracted various penalties, including jail terms and fines up to N250,000.

He said corps members and logistics had been deployed for the exercise, adding the officers had been instructed to ensure compliance without cutting corners.