BY OUR REPORTER
The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have reaffirmed commitment to ensure safety of cargoes and vehicles on the nation’s highway with a view to haulage standardization
Recall that both agencies of the federal government in 2017 entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in a bid to proffer solutions to the lingering problems of deaths on the roads , enormous challenges hindering seamless evacuation and movement of cargo from the seaports to the hinterland.
The MoU states that the two agencies shall engage in collaborative enlightenment programme for transporters and the general public with a view to ensuring safety of lives and cargoes in transit in Nigeria under the Road Transport Safety Standardization Scheme (RTSSS).
The concept of the RTSSS is aimed to regulate road transport , ensuring a culture of safety consciousness in organisations and companies with fleets of vehicles and to minimize loss of lives and properties on the highways.
Speaking at a one day sensitization programme put together by the two agencies with theme: Safe-to-load-on-Nigerian-roads, in Lagos on Wednesday, Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Shippers Council NSC Barrister Pius Akutah said that the Council is to liase with the appropriate arms of the government with a view of identifying issues and problems affecting inland transportation across all modes and to monitor intermodal coordination as it relates to challenges, cost and efficiency.
Akutah noted that safety of cargoes and road infrastructure are critical to economy growth adding that the Council is saddled with diverse responsibilities of ensuring equity and fairness among stakeholders in the maritime industry.
According to him, drivers are not created to undergo fatigue or stress while on the wheels saying that the brainstorming session of the programme would proffer solutions toward safety on the highways.
He noted that lack of safety of lives and cargoes on the highways would discourage economic growth pointing out that the two agencies are working round the clock to put in place minimum safety requirements for fleet operations and all forms of haulage services in Nigeria.
“Safe to Load” is more than just a slogan. It is a clarion call to action. A commitment to ensuring that every vehicle that sets out on our roads is roadworthy. Making sure that every Driver is qualified, cargoes are properly loaded, secured and transported to the end Users in good condition and in the most economical way.
“The Council is promoting. VTA is a public rest area located off the road, designed to provide temporary rest for truck Drivers. It is intended for short term breaks and also parking services where trucks can get fuel, food, restrooms, thereby promoting safety and security of lives, cargoes and haulage vehicles in transit.
On his part, Corps Marshal ,FRSC , Shehu Mohammed stressed the need for investors to reap their investments without hindrance.
Mohammed said:”The haulage business is contributing to the economic development of the country. And if there are problems and some security agents that are also offering the assistance and the movement of those trucks.
“I think we need to also work together to bring it forward to the relevant authority, the national security advisor, and other relevant bodies that can give this input so that we make the environment, the space cleaner and more attractive for other haulage business that want to come in to be able to invest and reap their investment without hindrance, “, the Corps Marshal stressed .
Earlier, Director, Inland Transport Services, NSC, Mrs Ify Okolue said the collaborative efforts by both agencies is means of empowering the motoring public through knowledge dissemination.
She said the concept of the standardized fleet transport operations and to entrench a culture of safety consciousness in organizations and companies with fleets of vehicles ,noting that the task of keeping deaths off our roads and ensuring seamless movement of cargo from the seaports to the hinterland and other destinations is a collective one .
“We must all be ready to commit our time, energy and resources to complement the efforts of the government in this quest,”she added .
She stated that”The objectives of this programme amongst others are to enlighten drivers on how to curtail their excesses and prevent crashes that involve tankers, trailers and trucks at the point of loading, in transit and at final destinations, thus, ensuring seamless cargo movement, efficient, safe and timely service delivery.
Highpoints of the sensitization programme was the paper presentations by haulage operators and officer of FRSC.
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