The Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has commenced a training programme for 2,500 fuel tanker drivers in a bid to reduce road accidents across the country.
The National Chairman, PTD, Mr Salimon Oladiti, at the commencement of the annual training programme in Lagos on Tuesday, said that the objective was to reduce to the barest minimum accidents involving tankers on the roads.
Oladiti, who was represented by the Training Committee Chairman, Mr Olujide Kilanko,
commended the Federal Road Safety Corps and other traffic agencies for their support and collaboration at all times during the programme.
He said, “This has reduced the number of accidents involving tankers on Nigerian roads. Yet, more needs to be done; hence, we are carrying out continuous training of drivers.
“I want to use this medium to commend the Federal Government for developing the infrastructure in Nigeria. I also appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to fix the roads. Nigerian roads are in a deplorable condition and need urgent attention, especially now that the raining season is gradually coming to an end.”
The Chairman, Lagos Chapter of NUPENG, Mr Tayo Aboyeji, said the essence of the training was to reduce the number of accidents on the roads and educate the tanker drivers on safety tips.
Aboyeji said the training had, over the years, contributed to the reduction of road accidents of tankers on the road.
He said the state of many roads in the country was taking serious toll on their members, and was responsible for the occurrence of accidents.
He, however, said that the union was managing the situation not to affect the distribution of products to final destination despite the bad roads.
“As at today, there is no gridlock in Apapa, the committees set up by the Federal Government, in collaboration with NUPENG, has done a great job in addressing the problem in that area.”
Aboyeji urged the government to provide sufficient parking space for fuel tankers.
The Assistant Corps Marshal, Zonal Commanding Officer, Lagos/Ogun, FRSC, Mr Samuel Obayemi, said the agency was working on a database to capture all drivers loading from depots for effective monitoring.
He said, “We are urging them to start engaging their members in rigorous traffic training so as to meet minimum safety standards concerning their vehicles. It is very important to train and retrain them, to enable them to follow the rules and regulations and to meet the road standards concerning their vehicles. We are here to give them safety tips on what is expected from them.
“We are creating a database for both tankers and drivers that will capture them from the depots to their final destinations. Our personnel will also be deployed to depots; with the database, it will be difficult for any driver that is disqualified at one depot to go and load at another depot.”
