HOUSE COMMITTEE ON WORKS AND TRANSPORT REITERATES NEED TO MITIGATING ISSUE OF OVERRLOADING
By Rabi’u Ishaq Muhammad:
The Chairman Bauchi State House of Assembly committee on Works and Transport Engineer Adamu Garba Kawu, has emphasized the importance of addressing overloading by motorists and ensure the safety of animals during transportation across the state.
Engineer Adamu Garba was speaking at a roundtable discussion with transportation stakeholders on the need to address the ugly trend in the state.
The chairman who is also a member representing Ganjuwa West at the state assembly, commended the participants for their contributions, describing the meeting as a step forward to fostering safer and more efficient transportation system in Bauchi.
While calling for all hands to be in desk, the lawmaker assured all present that, the committee would work tirelessly to address the challenges raised during the meeting.
Also speaking, a member of the committee, builder Sa’idu Sulaiman Darazo called for enhanced sensitization efforts to ensure public awareness.
On his part, the Director General of BAROTA, Tijjani Baba Gamawa disclosed that, the Bauchi state government has approved for the establishment of four motor parks in Bauchi metropolitan to address overloading, enhance road safety, and generate revenue.,and appealed for the implementation of similar initiative in all the 20 local governments of the state.
In their remarks, representatives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Bauchi, lamented the sale of designated park sites by the previous Bauchi local government sole administrators which hampered better services, and stressed the union’s commitment to tackling the issue through education.
In his contribution, the representative of VIO Bauchi office, Bappah A. Bara expressed concerns on the lack of personnel to carry out enforcement effectively.
Other stakeholders at the meeting, stressed the need for the federal government to introduce laws mandating designated vehicles for animal transport for Improved Transportation Management.
They also recommended for the creation of heavy vehicle parks to mitigate overloading and suggested joint operations with BAROTA and other stakeholders, and advocated for the establishment of centralized heavy vehicle parks to address overloading and legislative alignment at state and federal levels to ensure consistency in enforcement.
