Despite the warning of petroleum tanker drivers to stop lifting of fuel to the northern part of the country over closure of Minna – Bida road and other state owned roads in Niger state, the government has said there is no going back on the decision, urging the federal government to find alternative routes for trailer drivers.
The chief of staff to the state governor, Alhaji Ibrabim Balarebe Kagara, stated this Thursday in Minna.
He said: “This is to assert our earlier position on the closure of the Minna – Bida road to trailers and other articulated vehicles. To preserve the road and allow the ongoing construction work to progress, there is need for restrictions on movement of trailers. We made wide consultations, including a visit to the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fasola. Up till now, the federal government did not carry out its promise to repair owned roads in the state to ease movement of trailers.”
He called on the federal government to expedite action on the rehabilitation of Tegna – Makers Birni Gwari and the Lambata – Lapai – Bida road as alternative routes.
He argued that Governor Abubakar Sani Bello operated within the confines of the law in shutting down collapsed state roads to trailers adding that the closure of the roads will continue for as long as necessary.
He said the threat issued by the Tanker drivers is not targeted at the state government but the federal government, adding that the federal government has not shown desired attention to the plight of the drivers on the bad condition of the truck A roads in Niger state.
He warned articulated vehicle drivers not to test the will of the government in enforcement of the restriction order adding that “we are determined to enforce this order in order to preserve our roads.”
