NIGERIA SETS UP TASK FORCE TO REMOVE ILLEGAL SPEED BUMPS ON HIGHWAYS

The National Council on Works has approved the constitution of a task force to sensitize Nigerians and facilitate the removal of illegal and inappropriate speed bumps from Nigerian roads.

The task force will also determine the correct location and types of speed bumps to be erected on the nation’s highways.
This formed part of memoranda submitted by the Federal Road Safety Corps and the resolutions arising from the 22nd meeting of the National Council on Works in Katsina State with the theme “Prioritization and Optimization of Allocated Infrastructure Funds”.
According to the council, most of the road traffic crashes which occur on the highways could be traced to the presence of inappropriate speed bumps which do not comply with contemporary global standards on road markings and signages.
The council therefore endorsed the constitution of a special task force to be led by the Federal Controllers of Works in each state, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Police, State Traffic Management Agencies and affected communities to sensitize and facilitate removal of illegal and inappropriate speed bumps from Nigerian highways.
According to Bisi Kazeem, Head , Media Relations and Strategy, FRSC, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, indicated his Ministry’s support for the Federal Road Safety Corps’ initiatives towards enthroning safer road use in Nigeria.
On violation of the Federal Highway Act, Mr. Fashola said that the full width of the highways has been encroached by illegal activity in the name of trading and business.
“When we spend money to build a road of two or three lanes and one or two lanes are taken over by trucks parked on them, or traders positioned on them, it constricts movement, causes traffic, results in lost man hours and stifles the economy. This is not the way to build property and it must stop,” he said.

He therefore requested the support of the state governments to work with the Federal Controllers of Works to recover the right-of-way.
“Let me be clear. I am not against trade. Indeed, improved trade and commerce is what the economy needs most. The roads that my ministry is charged to build and repair are meant to boost trade and commerce,” he said.
According to the Honorable Minister, trade and commerce that takes place right on the highway or within the 45.72 metres right-of-way is illegal counter-productive, adding that the following objectives will be pursued vigorously: “It is not to relocate or drive away traders, it is to locate them to the set back of the 45.72 metres right way and we will not compromise on this. If the first thing we achieve is the recovery of the right-of-way, commuters will be able to report a better traveling experience this December”.
The Minister also frowned at the activities of petroleum products transporters who carry cargoes of up to 60,000 litres on the highways, instead of the maximum of 33,000 litres approved by law, thus exceeding the capacity of load recommended for the Nigerian highways, with attendant grievous consequences on the state of the roads.