By Adedoyin Falolu
Prince Dapo Abiodun,Governor of Ogun State has barred drivers of tankers from plying bridges in the State, as it announced that it will put in place strict penalties for any of such vehicles.
The Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun who made this known during an on-the-spot assessment of the fire incident that occurred in Kuto, Abeokuta, when a tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirits lost control, as a result of brake failure, leaving three people dead, six injured and seven vehicles burnt.
According to the Governor, ‘’we will put in place a very strict penalty for any tanker driver caught on any of these bridges. This is one of the measures that the Ministry of Transportation will be rolling out in the next few days’’.
Abiodun who noted that his administration would also ensure that tankers and other articulated vehicles are road worthy, added that the State transport team would embark on an exercise to ensure that all articulated vehicles have all adequate safety equipment, as well as ensure that their vehicles are properly maintained.
“We are also going to put measures in place to reduce or almost eliminate such occurrence, part of these among others, will include that tanker drivers do not drive on our overhead bridges anymore”, he said.
The State helmsman, while commending the effort of the transport team, comprising of the Fire Service, Traffic team and others, for their prompt response, which he said has helped in reducing the spread of the fire.
Abiodun who also commended the sympatisers at the point of the incident for adhering to the use of the facemask as a result of the pandemic, said it was important for the people to continue to take their health seriously, by adhering to all the guidelines set by the government to curb the spread of the second wave of the pandemic.
The Governor after visiting the scene of the fire incident went to the State Hospital, Ijaye and the Federal Medical Center, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, where the six victims who suffered various degree of burns were admitted.