FG to ban importation of trucks above 10 years

In a bid to curb the frequent petroleum tanker crashes on roads, the Federal Government has expressed its intention to ban the importation of articulated trucks older than 10 years.

The government has also directed the Federal Road Safety Corps to commence the enforcement of the maximum load capacity of 45,000 litres of petroleum products by trucks.

These were part of the resolutions reached by the Major Oil Marketers of Nigeria and the National Association of Road Transport Owners at the renewal workshop held on September 24, which has now been scheduled for implementation during a follow-up meeting held at the Federal Road Safety Corps national headquarters Abuja, on Monday.

A statement on Tuesday by the FRSC spokesman, Bisi Kazeem, titled, ‘FG takes measures with strategic stakeholders against petroleum tanker crashes,’ disclosed that the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi represented the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, at the parley.

It said the meeting also recommended that the SGF should consider securing a Presidential directive for urgent intervention in the provision of soft loans for truck renewal using a similar template as applicable to pharmaceutical companies and other sectors of the economy at the peak of COVID -19.