The Anambra State government has restricted the time which vehicles laden with petroleum products can move in the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment in the state, Mr Don Adinuba, announced this in a statement forwarded to Channels Television on Friday.
He explained that the decision followed the incessant collapse of trucks carrying petroleum products in the state recently, including the latest which happened in Onitsha on Thursday.
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Adinuba stated, “With effect from Saturday, November 2, 2019, such vehicles can be allowed to move within Anambra State from only 8pm to 5am.
“The restriction is to enable agencies like the Anambra State Fire Service, the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Civil Defence the Anambra Traffic Management Agency and indeed all other security, law enforcement, and safety agencies to respond effectively and in good time to emergencies created by such accidents which sometimes result in conflagrations, as was the case in Onitsha on Wednesday, October 16, 2019, when a tanker laded with a petroleum product fell on the Enugu-Onitsha Highway and caused a fire that spread up to Ochanga Market through the open drainage,” he added.
The government has directed the Anambra State Police Command and all other security agencies in the state to swing into action.
According to the commissioner, the security agencies are to “religiously enforce” the restriction order on the movement of trucks carrying petroleum products in the state.
They were also asked to ensure that such vehicles do not exceed the speed limit of 90 kilometres per hour in all parts of the state.
“Any violation of either the time restriction order or the speed limit will be punished accordingly.
“The protection of the life and asset of every person in Anambra State cannot be compromised,” Adinuba warned.
He, however, urged oil marketers, workers, tanker drivers and concerned persons among other stakeholders in the downstream oil sector to bear with the state government.
The commissioner asked them to adhere to the regulation which he noted was made strictly in the overriding interest of the public.
