Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has charged the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, to initiate strict measures that could address the menace of overloading in the state, pledging the support of the state government in achieving the goal. Tambuwal gave the charge while receiving the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi and members of his entourage at the Government House Sokoto, recently.

Gov.  Tambuwal

According to the governor, the activities of commercial vehicle transporters who overload their vehicles with goods and passengers to make quick gains are not only exploitative, but dangerous to safety of lives of the innocent passengers they carry.

He therefore warned perpetrators of the act to desist, stressing that the state government will collaborate with the FRSC to embark on aggressive public enlightenment programmes and strict enforcement of the relevant laws.

He stated that overloading has become a source of concern to the government and people of the state, noting that FRSC as the agency responsible for handling such traffic matter must do all it could to stop it. “Overloading  not only exploits the poor passengers, but undermines their safety. We would work with you to eradicate the practice from the state,” he stated.

As a demonstration of the state government’s  concern, the Governor stated that he was directing the state media organs to liaise with the FRSC command in the state to come up with appropriate public enlightenment programmes that could educate members of the public on the dangers of overloading.

He also called on the Headmasters and Principals of Primary and Secondary Schools in the state to encourage the setting up of Road Safety Clubs in their schools, for children to imbibe the culture of road safety from their childhood. “I assure you that Sokoto state government will continue to support the FRSC in its campaigns to create safer road environment in the country,” he added.