26th April, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
The Edo State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has vowed to henceforth clamp down on truck drivers who convey goods together with passengers in their trucks.
The State Sector Commander of FRSC, Paul Okpe, stated this on Thursday in Benin, during sensitizion of members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Aduwawa Truck Drivers chapter.
He harped on the need to stop conveying goods and passengers together.
Okpe said the sensitization was to engage the leadership of the truck drivers union on how to drive on highways and how to imbibe safety culture, and stop using truck to carrying goods together with passengers.
He said: “We are going round other locations of the union in the state to also sensitize them. It is not a good practice and when accident happened, most of the passengers always die and we want to reduce accident on the road.
“We are happy that the drivers are keying into the exercise, they assured us of their support. They have also given us good advice especially stopping the loading of passengers and goods from the north. With the assurance they gave us we are sure that the menace would be eradicated.”
Okpe who warned that after sensitization, the Corps will commence enforcement on erring drivers, noted that the campaign was launched by the Corps Marshal, Alhaji Dauda BIU and is ongoing across the country.
Responding, the Chairman of NURTW (Heavy Truck), Aduwawa branch, Alhaji Badamasi Muhammed, commended the FRSC for the sensitization and assured them of total support.
“This issue has been worrying us but we are not government that can stop it, but now that government is interested, it is going to stop, they should stop it from the north where they are loading good and passengers.
“We will join the FRSC and talk to our drivers to ensure that loading of goods and people together is not good and should be stopped. Last time about 50 people died when a truck conveying cows and human beings had an accident,” he said.