ABEOKUTA–The Ogun State Government has put an end to tankers and other articulated vehicles from plying overhead bridges in the State, just as those who flout the order would be made to pay stiff penalty.
The State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun who gave the order after inspecting an accident scene caused by a petrol tanker at Kuto, Abeokuta, said henceforth, tanker drivers would no longer be allow to use any of overhead bridges in Ogun State.
“Tanker drivers will no longer be allowed to use the bridges. Anything that has trailer behind it, be it trailers, flatbeds and other articulated vehicles of either 33 or 66 tons, are henceforth ban from using the bridges”, Abiodun ordered.
Governor Abiodun who recalled the similar accident at Sango Ota bridge in 2019, also stated that the State would enforce road worthiness to ensure that articulated vehicles plying the State’s roads are worthy to avoid such future occurrences.
Governor Abiodun noted this, “We are going to enforce strict road worthiness on tankers and other articulated vehicles to ensure that they are mentally and mechanically good to make use of our roads.”
The Governor said, “it is a very sad day for him, as at 8am, it was reported that a tanker coming from Sagamu area and descending towards Ibara Abeokuta with full load of 33,000 litres of PMS, and it appears subject to confirmation that engineers that, he might have suffered a break failure as he was descending the Kuto bridge, and it appear as if the driver in his effort to manage that situation where the people has suffered break failure as it was descending the Kuto flyover”.
“The driver tried to warn people and in the process of trying to control the vehicle, it swerve to across the median and collided with other vehicles and motorcycles and tumbled. Three instant fatalities were recorded, while six people suffered various degree of burnt”, the Governor recalled.
He described the accident as an unfortunate event, saying that six of the injured, three each, have been admitted at the State Hospital Ijaye and Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba, just as government has invited Burnt Specialists from Lagos to attend to those with severe burnt.
Prince Abiodun regretted that a bridge that was constructed to solve one problem, as ended up creating another problem for us, adding that the State government would carry out a comprehensive and well thought out plan aimed at tackling the menace.
Governor Abiodun pledged that his administration would ensure that those who sustained injuries are well taken care off and those whose properties were affected are assisted to ameliorate their losses, While commiserating with the families of those who lost their loved ones.
The Governor has also visited those injured at the State Hospital Ijaye and the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba Abeokuta to make sure they are attending to treatments.
