*Bans night operation in Yuletide due to poor states of road

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Members of the National Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, have stressed the need for Federal Government, through the Ministry of Works to urgently intervene by restoring major roads from total collapse in Apapa ports and its environs in the interest of the public.

They however, attributed the incessant explosions of oil tankers and carnage on the roads to poor state of roads and lack of efficient policy formulation.

This came as National PTD place embargo on night operation by members due to bad roads.

The National Chairman of the association, comrade Salimon Oladiti, through its Publicity Secretary of PTD, comrade Atanda Adebayo, made the remarks at the end of a three day Basic Skills Development Training Workshop for Units Elected Officers in Lagos Zone, held in Apapa.

The participants were drawn from Lagos zonal council while subsequent workshop is scheduled to be rotated to other zone, namely; Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri zone,s on yearly basis.

Apapa road blocked by Tankers

According to Oladiti, “The causes of tanker explosions and death recorded in the process were due majorly to bad roads across the country and the unfavorable policy by the Federal Government.

He also attributed the current traffic gridlock along Mile-2 Apapa Oshodi Expressway, to the continued decay of infrastructure.

Oladiti, therefore, stressed the need for immediate intervention of both Federal and state governments to resolve the gridlock permanently.

As part of measures to reduce accidents by drivers, especially at night, Adebayo directed members to desist from engaging in night operation especially at this festive period because of the unsafe road situation.

He also urged members to exercise extreme caution on the road during the period, saying, “It is better to be late, than be the late.”