The Oyo State lawmaker representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju State constituency, Hon. (Surv) Bamidele Adeola has appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to ban the selling of alcohol at trailer parks, describing it as a secured measure towards preventing unwarranted road accidents.
Speaking with newsmen recently in Ibadan on an appeal to traffic regulatory agencies to check recurring trailers accidents occassioned by unlatched containers, Adeola noted that the country has lost lives of great potentials to the Nigeria’s prosperity due to the negligence on the part of government authorities and agencies that are meant to enforce existing regulations.
Emphasizing on drivers’ drunkenness as the root of most road accident, Adeola stated that both federal and States road agencies should not be only concern about the good condition of the vehicles on the roads, but should also be keen about the state of drivers both healthiness and mental.
“Road is the major transport system in Nigeria and we must do everything possible as lawmakers and government both at the State and federal level to ensure sanity on this roads.
“It is unfortunate that we have a regulation that clearly states- ‘Don’t drink and drive’, but in Nigeria most of our commercial drivers, especially truck drivers drive under the influence of alcohol.
“It is embarrassing that we even have alcohol sellers at almost all our trailer parks and even motor parks in our cities and towns. So, is it not hypocritical that we make a rule for our drivers not to drink alcohol, but we allow the sales of same alcohol at there take off at terminals?
“While calling on Federal and Oyo state road agencies to do more diligence in sanctioning drunken drivers, I am also calling on our able Governor Seyi Makinde to throw his weight behind banning of alcohol sales at all trailer parks in the State,” he added.
Adeola who also warned against over loading and over speeding of trailer drivers as causes of most ghastly road accidents, noted that trucks should be loaded not only according to its capacity, but also the situation of the roads should be considered.
He said, “Our roads are bad and when we fail to agree and factor it into considerations as road users, that is when you see trailers falling off the road or running over people, co-travelers vehicle or properties.
“We want concern authorities and agencies to work harder towards reducing the rate of road accidents, because the lives of our people are important and should not be lost to negligence.”
