The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) last week, said that petroleum tankers were not affected by the Lagos State Government daytime operational restriction. Mr Tokunbo Korodo, the Southwest Chairman of the union, told newsmen in Lagos that “the ban had nothing to do with petroleum tankers.”
Korodo, who said that petroleum tankers were not captured by the law, added that they could deliver products to any destination any time. “We are aware of this directive by the LASG but the law did not restrict our trucks.
“Tanker drivers can move at any time to deliver its products; we are not affected by the traffic law. “You can see that our tankers are working all round the clock to lift petroleum products and deliver at designated filling stations nationwide,” he said.
He, however, said that the ban was to reduce incessant accident caused by articulated vehicles on Lagos roads. Recall that the state government had on Sept. 6, restricted the movement heavy duty vehicles within the metropolis to between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The government action followed the recent Ojuelegba trailer accident which claimed three lives on Sept. 3. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Oluseyi Whenu, said the movement of articulated vehicles contravened Section 2 (i) and 2 (ii) of the Traffic Law.
Whenu said that the government would henceforth impound vehicles and the owners fined whenever there was a breach of the restriction order. It was reported that truck drivers under the aegis of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners said that they would withdraw their trucks from the road with immediate effect over the restriction directive.
The Chairman of AMATO, Mr Remi Ogungbemi, said that it was difficult for members to comply with the state directive on the restriction due to security reasons. Ogungbemi said that the state’s policy restricting trucks’ movement to the night would be hard to comply with because the safety of trucks, drivers and the cargoes could not be guaranteed.
