COVID-19: OYRTMA Clamps Down On Haulage Companies For Flouting Orders

By Olusakin Babalola, Ibadan

Officers of the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA) have impounded about 36 commercial trailers and other articulated vehicles belonging to haulage companies and logistics departments during its routine operations and surveillance in the State.

The Executive Chairman, OYRTMA, Dr. Akin Fagbemi revealed that the operators of the trucks while coming into or passing through Oyo State to other parts of the country willfully boycotted the lock-down orders of neighbouring States, using their trucks to convey multitude of persons as against the approved carriage of food items, pharmaceutical products and other essential goods/services.

He said, “while the Authority and other government agencies are in high spirit and rejoicing with the Executive Governor of Oyo state, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde over his recent conquer of the lethal COVID-19 by testing negative to the virus twice, some articulated trucks and trailers numbering about 36 were impounded in Oyo State between Wednesday 1st of April, 2020 and Wednesday 8th of April 2020 for violating the restriction of movement orders of the State Government, having previously established that the virus is majorly transmitted through human movements from one place to another”.

The OYRTMA Boss added that “these articulated vehicles were seen conveying hundreds of persons as against the approved food items, pharmaceuticals and other essentials without any official permit or convincing reasons.

He therefore revealed that these acts negate efforts by the Oyo State Government to mitigate the spread of the novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) through inter and intra State vehicular movements and influx of foreign persons into the State.

Fagbemi sternly warned all companies, drivers of articulated trucks, who engage in such act, adding that any vehicle impounded shall be made to face the full wrath of the extant laws of the State.

Dr. Fagbemi also expressed high confidence that if all stakeholders played their respective roles and abide by government’s stipulated safety procedures and guidelines, Oyo State would not only defeat the viral disease, but come out stronger and take her rightful place as the true Pace Setter State of the Federation.