Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to prioritising road safety measures over punitive sanctions in addressing the recurring accidents involving articulated trucks, particularly around the Ubu Bridge axis in Ogwashi-Uku along the newly constructed Ughelli–Asaba dual carriageway.
The State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, made this known in a statement, explaining that the state government is adopting proactive and preventive strategies aimed at reducing the frequency of accidents involving heavy-duty vehicles on the corridor.
According to Izeze, the Oborevwori administration’s approach is anchored on enhanced safety enforcement rather than restrictive measures that could hinder the free movement of goods and services.
He said planned interventions include stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, improved speed control mechanisms, and routine operational checks on articulated trucks using the route.
The Commissioner stressed that Governor Oborevwori has consistently maintained that Delta State must avoid policies that could be perceived as inhibiting commerce and logistics, in line with global best practices.
As such, the administration is focusing on compliance, driver discipline, and safety consciousness rather than outright bans on the movement of heavy-duty vehicles.
Izeze also appealed for collective action in tackling the challenge, calling on road safety experts, professionals, and concerned citizens to offer practical suggestions aimed at achieving zero accidents on the affected stretch.
He clarified that the appeal was not for consultancy services but for genuine, public-spirited contributions to help safeguard lives and protect public infrastructure.
The renewed safety push follows a series of accidents involving articulated trucks on the corridor, raising concerns among motorists and residents despite the road’s recent completion and its modern design features.
Izeze disclosed that the most recent incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, December 30, 2025, marking the seventeenth recorded accident involving articulated trucks on the Ogwashi-Uku–Asaba stretch since the road was completed.
The accident occurred near the Ubu Bridge, a section characterised by smooth pavement and a modern drainage system designed to channel runoff from the Ogwashi-Uku hills into drains leading to the Ubu River.
Eyewitnesses reported that the truck lost control while approaching the bridge, tilted, and partially obstructed the carriageway. No casualties were recorded.
The driver reportedly attributed the incident to mechanical failure, claiming that the truck’s gear selector failed to engage a lower gear while navigating the approach to the bridge. He dismissed suggestions of fatigue, describing the incident as an act of destiny.
However, the explanation has done little to allay public concern, given the frequency of similar incidents at the same location.
Izeze noted that despite the installation of clearly visible warning signs and speed limit notices on both approaches to the bridge installed months earlier at the directive of Governor Oborevwori, saying that many articulated truck drivers continue to disregard traffic regulations.
The Ogwashi-Uku–Asaba corridor has become one of the busiest interstate routes in the South-South region, serving as a major transit link for articulated trucks moving from the North, East, and South-West through Asaba and Ughelli to Warri, Yenagoa, Port Harcourt, Akwa Ibom, and Calabar.
This heavy traffic has placed significant pressure on the road, even as the project continues to receive commendation for its quality and contribution to regional connectivity.
Despite the recurring incidents, residents have acknowledged the broader impact of Governor Oborevwori’s infrastructure drive, noting that the quality of the road reflects the administration’s commitment to people-centred governance.
