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Hon. Vitalis Lanshima
By our reporter
A former Nigeria International athlete, Hon. Vitalis Lanshima has expressed deep sadness over the tanker explosion that led to the loss of lives and properties along Bauchi Ring Road in Jos.
He expressed his sympathies to the bereaved families and those who are recovering in the hospital, stating that enough is enough.
Lanshima later excelled in academia and became councillor in the United States.
Residents of Jos North require reprieve from the perennial loss of lives due to truck incidents.
It is actually past time for all elected officials in Jos North, Plateau North, and Plateau State in general to come together and proffer a solution to this mayhem that senselessly cut short the lives of our citizens, while destroying property worth millions of naira.
He is advocating for Vehicle Transit Areas that will drastically cut down on the number of truck accidents within Jos metropolis. This proposal will require a collaboration between the national Assembly members representing Riyom, Bassa, and Jos-North, as well as the state government.
With more than 90% of freight transport in Nigeria conducted by trucks, and Jos in particular serving as a major thoroughfare, it is important that we create a conducive environment for the drivers who ply our roads and a safe environment for our citizens to live and conduct their business. The high rate of accidents involving trucks is as a result of failed brakes and trucks carrying load beyond their maximum weight capacity.
With a professional truck stop facility along Hawan Kibo, Babale, and Jingir, three of the major entry points into Plateau State, the state will provide a state-of-the-arts facility for truck drivers to access temporary rest location primarily intended for short-term breaks and also long-term parking get fuel, food, restrooms, shower and basic supplies like oil and spare parts as well as servicing and repairs of haulage vehicles, while recovering from fatigue. Most importantly, each station will have a Truck Break Check Area and a Truck Weighing Station.
Truck brake check areas are a safety measure used in advanced countries like the United State and United Kingdom, that require truckers to pull safely off the road to check the operation of their air brake systems. This brake check will be mandatory by law, and failure to stop in the designated area, and to check the brakes, will be a violation of the law. Air brakes on a heavily-laden trucks are subject to considerable overheating if improperly used in even normal driving. Descending a downhill grade significantly increases brake use because of the design and weight characteristics of these vehicles.
A key and critical component of a Vehicle Transit Area will be a weigh-in-station, which can be combined with a break check area. Truck weigh-in stations are equipped with truck scales and designed to weigh the truck and the goods carried by the truck. Truck weight is critical because vehicles are designed to haul a maximum capacity. When a truck haul beyond their maximum capacity, they put the truck at risk of accidents due to increased failed brakes, thereby endangering lives and property.
While a Vehicle Transit Area has the potential to drastically improve the safety of Plateau residents, it will also promote safety and security of cargoes and haulage vehicles while in transit; reduce pilferage and theft of cargoes while in transit and afford cargo owners the means to monitor the movement of cargoes through a cargo tracking system to be located in respective VTAs. Vehicle Transit Areas also has the potential to have the following facilities: Gas Station, Hotel and Motel, Restaurants, Mechanic Workshop, Fire Station, Police Post, and Automated Cargo Tracking System.
The time has come for all stakeholders to come together and provide a lasting solution to this mayhem that is ravaging lives in Plateau State and destroying properties.
