COVID-19: FCTA impounds 72 vehicles for overloading
No fewer than 72 vehicles have been impounded by the enforcement team of the FCT Administration for flouting the directive on overloading by commercial and private vehicles owners to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Chairman, FCT Ministerial Task Team on Traffic Management, Attah Ikharo, said despite the directive by the FCT administration against overloading of vehicles, 72 drivers reportedly contravened the order.
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“I was at Nyanya this morning where we observed the level of compliance. I observed at Dutse-Alhaji, Area one by Rain Oil Filling Station and from what I gathered from different government agencies, about 72 cars were impounded as at noon today.
“The Federal Road Safety Corps have been impounding vehicles, the VIO have been impounding vehicles and all government agencies have been encouraged to impound vehicles that bridge the laws of overloading and penalise in line with the rules that stipulates the offences against overloading.
“Lastly, today what I see is that they have been able to discourage those who carry two or three passengers at the front. We have also been encouraging transporters to carry only three passengers at the back. Usually, they carry four passengers at the back, but we want to discourage that.
“So far, so good, all relevant agencies have been effecting arrest and as the days go by the number of impounded vehicles will likely increase,” Attah said.
He said the administration is currently discussing with drivers of high capacity buses to reduce, if possible or totally eliminate standing in high capacity buses.
Ikharo added that the enforcement team comprising men of the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Directorate of Road Transport Services and the police is also trying to discourage over-crowding at the entry points where conductors will have some people haggling with him.
“Though we have not been able to make any arrest on that one yet, we are hoping that by Monday we will commence intensive enforcement on high capacity buses, to discourage those who are standing and those who hand around the doors.
“But, we are appealing to commercial motorists particularly those of high capacity buses to please live their windows open for proper ventilation and ensure passengers by the windows live them open because often times, passengers by the window side want to take air that is sufficient for them without considering other passengers,” he added.
On the penalty for overloading, Ihkaro said each government agency that got the directive of the FCTA operates in line with extant laws of the agencies.
“The police have laws against overloading, the Directorate of Road Transport Services and FRSC all have laws against overloading, but I think the major penalty is that the vehicles will be impounded and fines levied against the owners before they are freed,” the task force chairman explained.
He said the enforcement against overloading will be sustained even after the coronavirus challenge has been arrested.
