The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Edo State Command, has warned truck drivers to desist from carrying loads and passengers together as it will soon commence clapping down on erring drivers.
The FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Paul Okpe, gave the warning while sensitising officials and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Aduwawa Truck Drivers chapter on the need to stop the carriage of goods and passengers together.
Okpe said the sensitization was to engage the leadership of the truck drivers union on how to drive on the highway, imbibe a safety culture, and stop using trucks to carry loads and passengers.
“We going to go round other locations of the union in the state to also sensitize them. It is not a good practice and when an accident happened, most of the passengers always die and we want to reduce accidents on the road”
He added “We are happy that the drivers are keying into the exercise, assured us of their support. They have also given us good advice especially stopping the loading of passengers and good from the north.
According to him, after sensitization, the corp will commence enforcement on erring drivers, noting “with the assurance they gave us we are sure that the menace would be eradicated”.
ALSO READ: Petrol sells for N730 per litre in Anambra
“We are using public enlightenment and enforcement to curb this menace. This campaign launched by the Corp Marshal, Alhaji Dauda Biu is ongoing across the country,” he said.
He however called on the drivers to imbibe road safety culture and refrain from carry animal and passengers as it is not a good practice
On his party, Chairman NURTW Heavy Truck, Aduwawa branch, Badamasi Muhammed, commended the FRSC for the sensitization and assured them of total support.
“This issue has been worrying us but we are not the government that can stop it, but now that government is interested, it is going to stop. And they should stop it from the north where they are loading good and passengers”
“So we will join the FRSC and talk to our driver 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 cow and human beings had accident” he said.
. TheWitness
