Road accident: Kwara moves to ban trading, construct overhead bridge at Okolowo
In a bid to avert the persistent road accidents at the Oko- Olowo expressway, the Kwara State Government has disclosed that the plan has concluded to stop commercial activities at the T-junction of the area connecting Ilorin-Jebba express road, saying trading and transport activities responsible for obstruction of the area responsible for the free flow of pedestrians and vehicles.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Hon Lafia Aliyu Kora-Sabi, stated this during the assessment of the scene of the accident on Monday at the Oko-Olowo, Ilorin East Local Government Area of the State, where he expressed deep sympathy over the lives lost to the recent road accident.
Kora-Sabi also disclosed that adequate measures have been put in place to forestall future reoccurrences, which include building an overhead pedestrian bridge at dangerous spots.
The Commissioner was joined by the Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on Transport, Hon. Ibrahim Orire, all Directors of the Ministry, the VIO office, KWARTMA, and all other concerned transportation bodies in the State, including the families of the deceased.
“We are here as a government concerning the frequent road accidents in this axis; we are deeply concerned about the incidence and want to commiserate with the families of the victims who lost their lives in the accident.
We equally assure you of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s resolve to continue to safeguard the lives of the people of Kwara, and we will make sure we fast-track efforts to construct speed-breakers at the most needed areas on this express road to bring an end to the frequent road accidents in this area”, he said.
On his part, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Chairman, Alh. AbdulRahman Olayinka Onikijipa who commended the quick response of the State government on the recent occurrence, said the transport unions have consistently warned their members on obedience to traffic regulations and transportation laws of the State, assuring the government of their continued cooperation in the best interest of citizens’ safety.
He equally lauded the state and federal governments’ initiatives on rural and urban road rehabilitation, which he said is bringing relief to the state’s transport sectors. He appealed that the government should not delay actions on the matter.
