Fashola Cautions Roads Users Against Violating Treaty Regulating Tonnage 


Fashola

The Power, Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola has urged roads users to be cautious not to run foul of recently endorsed international treaty regulating and restricting the tons to be carried by goods vehicles within the West African sub-region.

He gave the advice while declaring open a one-day public enlightenment on developments on the road sector in Abuja, where he hoped that the stakeholders would reflect on and agree on change of attitude towards roads infrastructure.
Fashola said: “For the benefit of those who may be unaware there are now existing treaty obligations within the West African sub region and beyond that regulate the amount of load any goods vehicle can put on an axle and by extension on the road in order to do business within ECOWAS and beyond.

“Our compliance with these regulations will open a massive door of opportunity and prosperity of cross-border trade to Nigerians engaged in the transport business.”
He urged roads users to change their attitudes towards roads and the infrastructure, as doing so and complying with existing regulations would not only preserve the roads infrastructure but also save scarce resources and make it safer for commuters.

The Minister assured that the government was committed to making investments in development of the roads nationwide as could be seen that there is no part of the country that is not witnessing one form of road construction or the other.

He said: “While it is true that we could have done better by way of massive investment in our transport infrastructure during the windfall of income from oil, this Government is now rapidly and aggressively addressing road transport infrastructure repairs, rehabilitation and construction as many of you who travel regularly will attest.      

”There is no state in Nigeria today, where you will not see our contractors busy at work. And I must acknowledge what the State Governments are also undertaking with regard to states and some federal roads.’

He said the way the roads are to be used when finally completed would determine how long they last and whether they deliver prosperity or not.

According to Fashola, “All over the world, one common thread of prosperous societies is their level of compliance with laws and regulations. So in those societies, you will see trucks parked in proper parks which creates jobs, and not on the highways, which impede access and opportunity.
“In those societies, you will see trucks carrying specified tonnage of cargo because it protects the road, and allows for it to be used again and again. Therefore, while the temptation to overload and carry more with one truck, against regulation and good practice may be appealing it is ultimately a barrier to prosperity.
“Such practices may provide cheap and perhaps corrupt riches and income, but they do more damage to the roads from which the cheap income is made. This means that in the short run, the road is lost, the opportunities diminish or are lost totally or they become very expensive to access until the road is rebuilt.

”The expense and cost to all of us, when the road is damaged by misuse or abuse, manifests in longer travel hours, more fuel consumption, expensive delivery of goods and services which every member of the community including transporters have to bear.”