As the global community approaches the festive season, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has conducted a sensitisation rally to educate stakeholders on the importance of Truck Transit Pack (TTP) to the overall safety of road users in Nigeria.
TTP is a public rest area located off the road, designed to provide temporary rest location for drivers. It is primarily intended for short-term parking services where truck drivers can get fuel, food, restroom, shower and basic supplies like oil and spare parts as well as repair their vehicles.
It is an initiative of the NSC aimed at helping to ease the congestions on the roads. Under the initiative, private investors and the state governments are critical partners.
The NSC is also partnering with other relevant stakeholders on TTP utilisation. However, when fully operational, TTP will afford cargo owners the means to monitor the movement of cargoes through a cargo tracking system to be located in respective TTP locations.
Hassan Bello, executive secretary/CEO of the NSC, said at the sensitisation rally themed, ‘Truck Transit Pack: A Panacea for Crash-free Haulage Operations in Nigeria,’ that the initiative was part of the effective collaboration between the NSC and the FRSC to better manage and enlighten stakeholders.
According to him, the major purpose of the initiative was to promote the safety and security of cargoes and haulage vehicles while in transit.
This, he said, will also help in reducing pilferage and theft of cargoes while in transit and provide transit trade with landlocked neighbouring countries.
“The collaboration with the FRSC is to ensure smooth movements of goods facilitated through the use of truck transit packs. The truck transit packs will also bring about increased in internally generated revenue, wealth creation and boost local economies of the states,” said Bello, who was represented by Samuel Vongtau, special duties, director of the NSC.
Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC said the collaboration is an attempt to put sanity on the roads.
According to him, both organisations have agreed on the way forward to better manage road carnage.
“The roads are filled up because there are trucks that must carry out their business and we cannot stop them from doing their business. But, what is important is that we are making progress in terms of congestion. And with what Dangote is putting in place; we expect that within a very short time, you will witness a lot of improvement,” said Oyeyemi, who was represented by Victor Nwokolo, assistant Corps Marshal (ACM).
Suleiman Adamu Danzaki, of the NURTW and senior special adviser to the president on labour matters, said there was need for synergy between Lagos and Ogun states on modalities to better manage transport and truck-related issues.
Danzaki said if care was not taken, the bridges leading into Nigeria’s ports city in Apapa will collapse due to the level of heavy duties and haulage vehicles packed on the bridges.
The sensitisation initiative is one of the strategies adopted to fast-track and bridge infrastructure deficit particularly in the transport sector and reduces road carnage. Furthermore, as a build-up to the establishment of the TTP across the country, the NSC and the FRSC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on trucks management and regulation in 2017.
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