FG, stakeholders map out measures to curb crashes of petroleum tankers

 Following resolutions reached at a meeting between the Major Oil Marketers of Nigeria (MOMAN) and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) in Abuja to address the frequent cases of road traffic crashes involving petroleum tankers and trucks leading to wanton destruction of lives and property in the country, far reaching recommendations have been made to the Federal Government.

At the meeting which held at the national headquarters of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, represented the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha.

According to a press release signed by the Corps Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem, the meeting had in attendance, Executive Secretaries of MOMAN and NARTO and Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

It was recommended that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) should consider securing a Presidential Directive for urgent intervention in the provision of soft loans for truck renewal, using similar template as applicable to pharmaceutical companies and other sectors of the economy at the peak of COVID-19.

As a long-term solution to safe, efficient and sustainable transportation of petroleum products across the country, the meeting stressed the need for the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to re-activate failed and vandalized pipelines in the country to reduce the burden on the transportation of petroleum products by road.

Members further called for a timeline to be set for the enforcement of the maximum load capacity of 45,000 litres of petroleum products by trucks operating from the Tank Farms across the country.

Kazeem further disclosed that the meeting resolved that enforcement of all safety standards, including anti-skid, anti-rollover and anti-spill (safety valves) be prioritized within a given time frame as outlined in the similar communiqué reached in 2018.

He said: “Government (would) consider issuing directives on enforcement of the 10-year policy on importation of trucks, so that any articulated vehicle that is beyond 10 years of age should not be allowed into the country.”

Part of the resolutions, according to him, was that FRSC, MOMAN and NARTO are to organise a joint enlightenment campaign for articulated vehicle drivers including production and placement of jingles in different languages on radio and television stations, production of handbills and also convene a press conference within two weeks

The resolutions were endorsed on behalf of the relevant stakeholders by Clement Isong and Aloga Ogbogo, Executive Secretaries of MOMAN and NARTO respectively and the Corps Marshal of FRSC.