Ogun places restriction on movement of factory trucks
Ogun State has started the clampdown on 30 tonnes articulated trucks belonging to manufacturing companies found plying township roads in the state.
According to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun is a major investment hub of Nigeria going by the influx of both foreign and local investments into the state, especially in the area of mining, quarrying and manufacturing and haulage.
Major manufacturers of cement and consumable goods such Dangote cement, Lafarge Africa, Nestle Nigeria, Unilever Nigeria, Nigerian Breweries and a host of others, rely on articulated vehicle to move both raw materials and finished goods to and fro the state.
The recent restriction of 30 tonnes and above trucks on township roads across the state is seen sending jitters down the spines of existing and would-be investors and operators of haulage firms in the state, and could impacted negatively on investments.
Manufacturing industries, especially cement and concrete firms as well dealers have articulated trucks, ranging from 40 – 45 tonnes which routinely pass through township roads, as the government seems to concentrate development on metropolis, abandoning industrial roads such as Igbesa-Agbara, Papalanto-Sagamu-Ogijo, Sango-Ifo-Ewekoro which are in their worst condition.
The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) had on Tuesday, through a press statement signed by its Commader/CEO, Olaseni Ogunyemi and made available to journalists and investors, indicated that every articulated vehicle that plies township roads in Ogun would be confiscated and owners made to pay fine or be arraigned.
“Consequent upon the restriction order on articulated 30 tonnes and above on township roads in Ogun State. TRACE hereby enjoins owners and operators of such vehicles to adhere strictly to this directive as TRACE commences the enforcement with immediate effect.
“However, any defaulter found or caught flouting this order will be made to face full sanction which includes the payment of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000) fine and above, as the case may be, in addition to arraignment before a court of competent jurisdiction. You are warned.”
Although, quite a number of investors and operators of haulage firms would not to the media on the issue, saying they would meet with the government, Cityfile findings from Igbesa-Agbara, Sango-Ota, Ewekoro-Ibese, Abeokuta, Sagamu-Ogijo, Ijebu-Ode, among other industrial estates, showed that the policy is already affecting haulage of raw materials and goods.
Some haulage operators handling the distribution of Lafarge cements, who spoke on condition of anonymity with Cityfile, said that “the policy is not only affecting the operators, it is also the manufacturers because we cannot deliver on time to our customers. We ply township roads since the roads we were plying before now have been abandoned.”
RAZAQ AYINLA