The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, a branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG-PTD) have agreed to work together to reduce Road Traffic Crashes involving tanker drivers across Nigeria.
This was the high point of discussion when the chairman of NUPENG-PTD and his team paid a courtesy visit to the FRSC headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.
The Acting Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dauda Biu, who received the team said it was necessary to enforce rules that would help the corps and the NUPENG-PTD to reduce recklessness and casualties caused by tanker drivers on the roads.
Biu said it was also necessary for all tanker drivers to be registered in order to be integrated into the corps’ national motor vehicle database for easy identification.
He said road safety, being everyone’s responsibility and business, required collective efforts to achieve the same objectives and goals.
According to him, NUPENG-PTD is a critical stakeholder in the country. “We need to underscore the importance of the Organisation. I want to assure you that we can only do better and we will continue to seek your cooperation.
“This meeting is very important at this period because we just launched the ‘Ember Month’ campaign and we want to ensure that there is safety in the country.
“Safety will serve you and safety will serve us. We will continue to engage you and also appeal to you to ensure safety of lives and property, and even safety of your vehicles.”
Biu attributed tanker crashes to speeding, urging NUPENG-PTD to train its drivers on safety guides and standard as it would help in reducing crashes.
He advised the union to check indiscriminate parking of articulated vehicles and also ensure the tyres of the vehicles of its members were in good condition before hitting the road.
Earlier, the National chairman, NUPENG-PTD , Mr Lucky Osasua, said the team visited the FRSC to foster a good relationship with the Acting Corps Marshal who assumed duty in July.
Osasua said NUPENG-PTD was ready to work with the FRSC to ensure saftey at all cost in the country.
He called for stronger collaboration with the corps to reduce to the barest minimum the rate of tanker crashes nationwide.
The Former National Chairman, NUPENG-PTD , Mr Salmon Oladiti, said lack of training, night travels and speeding were the major causes of tanker crashes in the country.
Oladiti, however, said the union was interested in any action that would lead to the safety of road users and motorists.
He commended the Corps for adequate and prompt response to crashes and called for more support to ensure saftey of lives and property.
