DTHA Urges Okowa to Prevail on FRSC and State Agencies to Clear Highways From Indiscriminate Parking and Broken Down Tankers, others.

BY PATRICK OGBOGU

Following the heavy gridlock and accidents experienced by Deltans along the highway due to broken down Tankers and other vehicle, the Delta State House of Assembly, has adopted a motion urging Gov Ifeanyi Okowa to direct the Director General, Delta State Traffic Management Agency DESTMA to as a matter of urgency liaise with the State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corp FRSC and all other relevant agencies to clear all broken down vehicles and trucks from the highways, particularly the Asaba-Benin Expressway.

The motion moved under matters of urgent public importance by the Member representing Aniocha South Constituency, Hon Angela Nwaka, seconded by Hon Reuben Izeze representing Ughelli South Constituency was unanimously adopted by the House.

Also, the motion urged all relevant authorities to remove broken down vehicles, trunks and trailers as well as indiscriminate packing of same on roads across the state with a view to preventing road accidents and loss of lives which had become a regular occurrence particularly at night.

Hon Nwaka while presenting the motion reminded her colleagues that road transportation was the most common means of transportation in Nigeria, adding that the indiscriminate packing of trucks, trailers and vehicles had continued to pose serious danger to motorists and other road users

Hon Angela who is the Chairman, House Committee on Housing, Women Affairs and Social Development pointed out that on the Asaba-Benin Expressway, the situation was more noticeable, particularly by the Marian Babangida Junction; Bonsac and Ogbor-osisi market among others.

“One of our royal fathers, the Obi of Issele-Uku and a government official, Mr Sunday Ofili lost their lives as the vehicle they were travelling in ran into a broken down truck along the Benin-Asaba expressway”

“Sometimes in August 2015, 15 persons died when the bus conveying them rammed into a 22 wheeler trailer parked along Ubulu-Okiti junction on Asaba-Benin expressway”

“Also in November 2015, over 17 persons lost their lives when a heavy duty truck, owned by Dangote Transport Company crashed into the bus they were travelling in while it was parked on the side of the road by the NNPC Mega Staion opposite the Asaba Int Airport.”

“Sometimes in June 2016, the manager of the NNPC in my hometown, Ogwashi-Uku died when his car parked on the side of the road was hit by another 22 wheeler truck belonging to another Dangote Transport Company on the expressway”

She pointed out that the indiscriminate packing of trucks and trailers on the highway was also causing security risk and hideouts for criminals.

Hon Pat Ajudua; Majority Leader, Tim Owhefere; Evance Ivwurie; Anthony Emeka Elekeokwurie and Sheriff Oborevwor JP, while supporting the motion urged relevant government agencies to synergies with tanker owners to construct packing space for the tankers, stressing that packing of trucks and trailers be regulated in order not to pose danger on other road users, adding that the Umunede road was equally affected by the activities of trucks and trailer drivers.

Hon Izeze; Dr Alphonsus Ojo; the Minority Leader, Festus Okoh; Peter Uviejitobor and Emeka Nwaobi bemoaned the indiscriminate packing of trailers on the highways, while broken down trucks were often abandoned on the road to cause accidents and security risks to road users.

Also at plenary, the Delta State Regulation on Smoking in Public Places BILL passed the second reading as a result of the motion moved by Hon Evance Ivwurie representing Ethiope East Constituency afterwhich it was adopted.

Hon Ivwurie while presenting his argument said smoking in public places posed serious health hazards to non-smokers.
Ivwurie who sponsored the motion maintained that the bill spelt out punishment for offenders and areas designated for smokers, adding that smoking had harmful effect on second hands smokers.

Also at plenary, the Delta State Regulation on Smoking in Public Places BILL passed the second reading as a result of the motion moved by Hon Evance Ivwurie representing Ethiope East Constituency afterwhich it was adopted.

Hon Ivwurie while presenting his argument said smoking in public places posed serious health hazards to non-smokers.
Ivwurie who sponsored the bill maintained that the bill spelt out punishment for offenders and areas designated for smokers, adding that smoking had harmful effect on second hands smokers.

“This bill is being introduced to protect every citizen of Delta State, all public vehicles, employees, all work places, all indoors, and the general public from the dangerous and harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is the tobacco smoke that is exhaled or puffed off by smokers or is given off by burning tobacco and is inhaled by persons nearby. Around 85% of secondhand smoke is invisible and odourless."

“The secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard, and there is no safe level of exposure. Every time someone breathes in secondhand smoke, they breathe in over 4,000 chemicals. Many are highly toxic. More than 50 are known to cause cancer."

Hon Reuben Izeze, Pat Ajudua; Alphonsus Ojo; Daniel Mayuku and Anthony Emeke Elekeokwurie while supporting the bill, stressed the need to regulate smoking in public places, pointing out that fresh air is everybody’s right hence smokers should not use the habit to inconvenience other non-smokers even as smoking was no longer fashionable as producers of cigarettes also warn on the harmful effect of smoking.

The bill was adopted when put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Rt Hon Monday Igbuya.

In another development, a bill for a law to regulate the establishment of private educational institutions in Delta State as presented by Hon Evance Ivwurie and seconded by Hon Anthony Emeka Elekeokwurie passed the first reading, while the second reading comes up by January 24, 2017.