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U-Report: Heavy Duty Trucks Face Restriction In Owerri

By Chidi Odor

Following a Bill for a Law to control and restrict the movement of heavy duty vehicles within the Owerri capital city sponsored by Hon. Ikechukwu Amuka which is at the Committee stage at the State Assembly.

The movement of such vehicles will be restricted within the capital city of Owerri between the hours of 9pm to 7am.

The bill which was consolidated with the one being sponsored by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ngozi Pat-Ekeji of Aboh Mbaise State Constituency, a Bill for a Law to enact the Imo State Luxury and Horticultural vehicles Parks Establishment Law and other matters connected thereto due to their similarity, among other things. It provides for the establishment of parks at the entry points of the state capital.

Presenting the bill, Hon. Amuka, who represents Ideato-South Constituency informed that, the bill was aimed at putting an end to unwarranted accidents and deaths that occur on a regular basis on our roads especially, along the Assumpta Avenue Road Owerri, pointing out that, heavy duty trucks above 15 tons would be restricted to ply within the capital city from 9 o’clock at night till 7 o’clock in the morning.

He stated that, even though those vehicles render services that are essential such as conveying consumable items, he stressed that, it is important to regulate their movements to instill sanity on our roads, informing that, parks for those vehicles should be established at all entry points into the capital city and disclosed that, establishing parks at those entry points would usher in development and commerce at those areas as well as provide employment and revenue to the state.

Supporters of the Bill submitted that, the Bill would check the menace and nuisance caused by the drivers of such vehicles, who according to them, sleep along the roads at night, suggesting that, when the law becomes operational, drivers should be made to use the bye-passes as well as the need for proper sensitization to enable the people concerned be ready to obey that law.

The Bill was committed to a five-man ad-hoc committee headed by Hon. Ikenna Emeh while the members are; Hons Kingsley Dimaku, Ikechukwu Amuka, Obioma Ekennia and Ngozi Pat-Ekeji