Kogi flood: FRSC to prioritise movement of tankers to ease fuel scarcity

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it is controlling the traffic on the Abuja-Lokoja road in a way that prioritises the movement of trucks heading towards the northern part of the country for improved fuel distribution.

Stephen Dawulung, Kogi FRSC commander, said this Monday in an interview with NAN in Koton-Karfe, near Lokoja.

On Saturday, the RSC informed motorists to use alternative routes due to the flooding in Lokoja, Kogi state.

In the interview, Dawulung said motorist, including petroleum tankers, are having a difficult time negotiating the roads to deliver the products to consumers.

“We are worried about the news reaching us here that because of the blockage experienced at Koton-karfe along Abuja-Lokoja highway in the last 10 days, there is serious fuel scarcity in the north,” he said.

“This is because [the] blockage could not enable motorists, particularly petroleum tankers, to pass with the product for use by the people living in Abuja and other northern states.

“The good news is that the flood or water that covered the road is fast receding and the road is visible with vehicles moving side by side from both ends of the road.

“In fact, since yesterday, Sunday, we have been controlling the traffic which is moving faster and steadily with priority to those heading to Abuja to help arrest the sufferings of motorists and commuters up north.”

Dawulung said the long queues traversing Crusher, Lokoja, from Koton-Karfe and that of Gegu, on the other side, have greatly reduced due to the free flow of traffic.

“As it is now, the traffic is around Banda, moving towards the long Murtala Mohammed Bridge as we try to allow the trucks move up north,” he said. 

According to him, the traffic at the side from Abuja has drastically reduced and “is around Ozi village not far from Koton-Karfe as we speak”. 

“Another good thing is that members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) have magnanimously filled up the gullies on the flooded road, which allowed free flow of traffic,” he added.

“Our prayer is that with this success being recorded so far, let us not record any more brake down from any of the trucks as they move on.

“This is because we are hoping that with the flood receding, in next few days, normalcy will return to the troubled Abuja-Lokoja expressway.” 

Last week, queues for petrol surfaced in Abuja over the inability of tankers to cross the flooded highway.