Container Accident: CIOTA Vows to Deal with Erring Motorists

Sunday Okobi

The Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA) has expressed deep sadness over the tragic occurrence of a container-laden vehicle falling on a commercial bus in Ojuelegba, Lagos last Sunday where eight lives were lost while a lone survivor of the incident is still grappling with her life.

It therefore, vowed that all measures would be employed to checkmate the nonchalant attitude of motorists to traffic laws and regulations.

CIOTA in a statement signed and made available to THISDAY yesterday by its National President, Prince Segun Obayendo, said between 2013 and the present day, “we have recorded over 10 accidents attributed to articulated vehicles bearing containers in the country, claiming lives and leaving many injured.”

Obayendo stated that the organisation is ready to collaborate with state governments and relevant agencies across the federation to ensure that these tragic occurrences are reduced to the barest minimum.

While the efforts of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Service, and other law enforcement bodies on road traffic management is commendable, CIOTA assured Nigerians that it would reinforce partnership with relevant road traffic agencies, “explore every avenue to beam more light on the awful maintenance culture of our motorists and other road users for improved safety of lives and property.

“All measures would be employed to checkmate the nonchalant attitude of motorists to traffic laws and regulations.”

Obayendo added that: “We are aware that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) ascertains the conditions of container-laden trucks before their exit from the ports, but lack of appropriate enforcement measures has resulted in low compliance with these conditions to the detriment of safety.

“We will work with truck owners associating bodies to provide platforms for sensitisation, especially on attendant consequences of leaving containers unlatched. We will also encourage the truck owner’s association to have a task force in strategic locations across the federation to reprimand and possibly impose fines on defaulters.”

The Chartered Institute of Transport Administration condoled with the families of the victims and prayed that God imbues the strength needed to bear this irreplaceable loss, while equally praying for the quick recovery of the only survivor.

“We applaud the notable efforts of FRSC, LASEMA, LASG Fire, FED Fire, LASTMA, and the Nigeria police, who were first responders to this sad incidence,” the statement added.