By Precious D. Freeman
The European Union Funded Project through Development Alternative Incorporated (DAI) has provided technical assistance to the Ministry Of Transport for the implementation of Axle Load Control in Liberia.
Speaking at a day-long workshop held at the Ministry Of Transport Conference room on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, the Project Team Leader Anthony Dasibo Uruaka explained that the axle load of a wheeled vehicle is the fraction of total vehicle weight resting on a given axle, where an axle can be referred to as a pair of wheel of the vehicle.
According to Mr. Uruaka, the objective of the Presentation is to impact a thorough understanding and knowledge of the Acts and Regulations that control the loading of vehicles, including terminology and definitions relating to axle load control legislation.
He added that the ECOWAS protocol on axle load control was first signed in 1984 by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of Member States of ECOWAS.
Explaining further, he mentioned that a meeting was held in Accra, Ghana in April 2011 for the harmonization of standard and procedures for the control of dimensions, weight and axle load of goods vehicle, adding that a follow up meeting was held in Abuja, Nigeria in February 2012 leading to the approval of the ECOWAS Supplementary Act relating to the harmonization of standards and procedures for the control of dimensions, weight and axle load of goods vehicle within Member States of ECOWAS.
“In line with this vision, the Government of Liberia (GOL) passed in 2015 an Act establishing the axle load law to protect public roads and bridges from rapid deterioration and destruction to align with the ECOWAS Act,” he said.
The Project Team Leader stated that the Act also provides a harmonized mechanism for the standardization and control of the dimensions, weight and axle load of heavy duty goods transport vehicles to ensure the control of overloaded vehicles and safety on the highway.
He noted that in Liberia, the extant law regulating permissible weight of heavy duty vehicle (The Heavy Duty Vehicle Axle Load Regulations 2016) issued under the authority of the MoT, vested power on the Minister to regulate truck overloading.
The Project Team Leader intoned that for effective implementation of axle load limit regime, there must be enforcement of the law.
According to the Coordinator of the Technical Support Unit of the Ministry of Transport Dave Daiwoo, in order to protect the road, absolute control needs to be taken, and that the workshop is to give details about the law and harmonization with the Liberian law.
“This axle load control mechanism will help Liberia protect the roads that are being built as well as those long in existence in line with the government’s Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD),” Daiwoo stated.
