By James Isaac, Abuja
In a bid to enhance road safety and reduce accident-related fatalities, Senator Ned Nwoko has introduced a bill in the Senate to ban the daytime movement of heavy-duty vehicles across Nigeria. The proposed legislation seeks to restrict the operations of articulated lorries, tankers, and trailers to between 12:00 midnight and 6:00 am, except in emergencies.
Presenting the bill during plenary on Tuesday, February 11, Senator Nwoko highlighted the alarming number of road accidents caused by these vehicles. Citing data from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), he revealed that between 2015 and 2018, heavy-duty vehicles were responsible for 3,200 deaths and economic losses exceeding ₦39 billion due to road crashes.
“We cannot continue to lose lives to preventable accidents. These vehicles have become a persistent menace on our roads, and urgent action is needed,” he stated.
Beyond restricting movement, the bill also proposed the establishment of Truck Transit Parks dedicated rest areas for truck drivers to park safely, get adequate rest, and avoid indiscriminate parking along highways. Senator Nwoko explained that these facilities would help curb reckless driving caused by fatigue and minimize road obstructions that often lead to fatal accidents.
Meanwhile, Senator Ned Nwoko has formally defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing long-standing internal conflicts and a lack of support from the Delta State government.
In a statement issued by his Media Assistant, Juliet Ify Ugah, the senator described his defection as a matter of principle, stated that the PDP in Delta State had deliberately sidelined him despite his contributions to the party’s growth.
According to him, his efforts to implement key constituency projects, including the Okpai Independent Power Plant (IPP) and the Ogwashi-Uku Dam project, were consistently frustrated by the state government. Similarly, his proposal for the creation of Anioma State was met with indifference.
“The PDP denied me the right to nominate candidates for party and local government positions. I was excluded from caucus meetings, and even when I was invited, my contributions were disregarded,” he stated.
The senator’s defection marks a major political shift in Delta North, as he now aligns with the ruling APC in his quest to bring more development to his constituency.
