The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Drivers

  • Two drivers face manslaughter charge in Osun

    Two drivers Yemi Fasooto and Dada Segun were on Friday brought before an Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun for knocking down a pedestrian on a highway.

    The accused were, however, released on bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties each in like sum after pleading not guilty.

    The accused Fasooto, 40 and Segun, 30  whose addresses were not provided, are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, reckless driving and manslaughter.

    According to the Prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Osanyintuyi, the duo committed the offences on July 3 at 8.00 pm at Fasina on Ile-Ife-Ibadan Expressway.

    Osanyintuyi said the accused drove a Vanette bus with registration no. FFE 357 AE and a BMW car marked GGE 675 DC recklessly and caused the death of a pedestrian, Elutide Yemi.

    Read Also: Police nab one chance robbers in Edo

    The offences contravened Sections 81 of the Road Traffic Law and Section 135 of the State Criminal Code.

    Counsel to the accused, Mr Nicolas Babatunde, urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms, promising they will not jump bail.

    In his ruling, Magistrate Olalekan Ijiyode granted the duo bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

    Ijiyode said the sureties should swear to affidavit of means and should also reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

    In addition, one of the sureties should be a civil servant of not less than Grade Level 04, while the other surety should be a relation of the accused.

    The case was adjourned until Aug. 3 for mention.

  • Stop overloading your vehicles, drivers warned

    The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) has warned truck drivers to desist from overloading their vehicles or risk the wrath of law.

    TRACE Corps Commander/CEO, Seni Ogunyemi, gave the warning in his office at Abeokuta, the state capital, why briefing reporters about the traffic situations within the state.

    He said the warning is highly imperative to prevent incessant crashes, arising from the disobedience to traffic rules of articulated vehicle drivers causing crashes and loss of lives and property in the country.

    The TRACE boss said: “There is a National Road Traffic Regulations (2013) that stipulate that no vehicles should load more than 600 bags of cements, but reverse is the case as the majority of the vehicles load over 900 bags just for their selfish interests, forgetting the adverse effects on the roads and to other road users.

    He said: “Overloading of vehicles is a common feature of these trucks which contributes to brake failure that sometimes leads to road crashes”.

    Commander Ogunseni implored truck drivers “to ensure that they properly hook or lash their containers to the frames and desist from extending the capacity of their vehicles”.

    Ogunyemi added that TRACE operatives are now equipped with modern devices to detect erring truck owners and arrest them immediately.

    He admonished motorists to comply with the traffic rules at the Owode and Ijako areas of the state where road construction is ongoing, saying  motorists caught driving against traffic at all the road construction areas  would face the wrath of law.

  • Drivers hail Navy for clearing Apapa traffic gridlock

    Major marketers, tanker drivers and transport owners have praised the Western Navy Command for clearing the Apapa traffic gridlock.

    They said there was no longer a logjam on the highways leading into Apapa.

    A tanker driver simply identified as Mallam Ibrahim said since the Navy took over the operations, it has deployed an effective logistic strategy involving the use of call card signed by the commander for authentication of trucks due for loading and passage into the Apapa area.

    He said though there were problems, the system is working and as it has reduced the turnaround time for loading and delivery of products.

    Another tanker driver, Ahmed Issa, urged Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) officials to liaise with the concessionaire of Lillipond for a parking space that can contain thousands of trucks at once, to open the park for trailers that want to load from the ports instead of allowing them to pay demurrages and also park on the roads.

    NNS BEECROFT Commander Commodore Okon Eyo attributed the success to the cooperation of unions, drivers and major marketers in the area.

    He said it would be shameful to return to the traffic gridlock era.

  • Navgas rewards drivers

    NAVGAS Limited has rewarded members of the National Union of Petroleum Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Unit of the company for their loyalty to the firm at an event titled: Drivers loyalty and reward programme.

    At the firm’s premises in Apapa, Lagos, it held the grand finale of its maiden raffle draw where the major winners emerged. They were Uche Morah of SuperTech, who won the first prize of a Power bike, Gbenga Adelodun, who got a deep freezer while the third prize of a flat screenTV went to Ahmed Oyewunmi.

    There were also consolation prizes for 13 drivers who scored between 150,000 and 250,000 points. They got a carton of indomie each. Earlier, as part of the progarmme, the firm also gave out recharge cards to the drivers.

    Navgas Operations Manager Mr Monday Adeoye said the draws started last year with 300 drivers and that only 91 qualified for the final draws. He reiterated that the programme was aimed at promoting safety consciousness among the drivers, noting that they were their key stakeholders in the industry. He thanked them for being loyal allies in business.

    The firm’s Managing Director Merlin Figueria assisted by NUPENG’s Acting Chairman Suleiman Amusa presented the star gifts to representatives of the winners. Amusa expressed satisfaction with the draws. He noted that it was the first time that a company would hold such an event for NUPENG members, urging Navgas to keep it up. ‘’The draw is very good. Navgas has done very well. It is the first time that a company would do this for us,’’ he said.

     

  • Navgas rewards drivers

    NAVGAS Limited has rewarded members of the National Union of Petroleum Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Unit of the company for their loyalty to the firm at an event titled: Drivers loyalty and reward programme.

    At the firm’s premises in Apapa, Lagos, it held the grand finale of its maiden raffle draw where the major winners emerged. They were Uche Morah of SuperTech, who won the first prize of a Power bike, Gbenga Adelodun, who got a deep freezer while the third prize of a flat screenTV went to Ahmed Oyewunmi.

    There were also consolation prizes for 13 drivers who scored between 150,000 and 250,000 points. They got a carton of indomie each. Earlier, as part of the progarmme, the firm also gave out recharge cards to the drivers.

    Navgas Operations Manager Mr Monday Adeoye said the draws started last year with 300 drivers and that only 91 qualified for the final draws. He reiterated that the programme was aimed at promoting safety consciousness among the drivers, noting that they were their key stakeholders in the industry. He thanked them for being loyal allies in business.

    The firm’s Managing Director Merlin Figueria assisted by NUPENG’s Acting Chairman Suleiman Amusa presented the star gifts to representatives of the winners. Amusa expressed satisfaction with the draws. He noted that it was the first time that a company would hold such an event for NUPENG members, urging Navgas to keep it up. ‘’The draw is very good. Navgas has done very well. It is the first time that a company would do this for us,’’ he said.

  • Navgas rewards drivers

    NAVGAS Limited has rewarded members of the National Union of Petroleum Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Unit of the company for their loyalty to the firm at an event titled: Drivers loyalty and reward programme.

    At the firm’s premises in Apapa, Lagos yesterday, it held the grand finale of its maiden raffle draw where the major winners emerged. They were Uche Morah of SuperTech, who won the first prize of a Power bike, Gbenga Adelodun, who got a deep freezer while the third prize of a flat screenTV went to Ahmed Oyewunmi.

    There were also consolation prizes for 13 drivers who scored between 150,000 and 250,000 points. They got a carton of indomie each. Earlier, as part of the progarmme, the firm also gave out recharge cards to the drivers.

    Navgas Operations Manager Mr Monday Adeoye said the draws started last year with 300 drivers and that only 91 qualified for the final draws. He reiterated that the programme was aimed at promoting safety consciousness among the drivers, noting that they are their key stakeholders in the industry. He thanked them for being loyal allies in business.

    The firm’s Managing Director Merlin Figueria assisted by NUPENG’s Acting Chairman Suleiman Amusa presented the star gifts to representatives of the winners. Amusa expressed satisfaction with the draws. He noted that it was the first time that a company would hold such an event for NUPENG members, urging Navgas to keep it up. ‘’The draw is very good. Navgas has done very well. It is the first time that a company would do this for us,’’ he said.

     

  • 16 arrested in Ilorin as butchers, drivers clash

    16 arrested in Ilorin as butchers, drivers clash

    No fewer than 16 people were Wednesday arrested in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital as truck drivers and butchers clashed at the popular Mandate Market around Adewole area of the metropolis.

    During the free-for-all about two personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were wounded.

    Sources within the market claimed that the clash arose as a result of protest by some butchers against the way some trucks were parked as they pointed out that it was obstructing their customers from accessing them.

    During the fracas, truck drivers were alleged to have drawn out their knives and attacked a butcher while associates of the victim also rose to his defence.

    “In the process all hell was let loose”, said a woman who said merely escaped being a victim. It was feared at a point that the fight would escalate into an ethnic conflict as most of the truck drivers are from the north while the butchers are mainly Yorubas.

    Although initial reports claimed one life was lost to the mayhem, security sources later denied the report. Market stalls and shops were hurriedly closed during the mayhem even as motorists plying the route stayed back until normalcy was returned to the area.

    The situation was brought under control by the arrival of men of the NSCDC who began to shoot into the air to scare the warring groups.

    They were said to have helped several women trapped between the fighting groups to escape and it was in the process that two of them were injured.

    Spokesperson of the corps in the state Henry Bilesanmi confirmed the development as well as the reported cause of the incident.

    “As I am talking with you I have just returned from the hospital to see our wounded men”, he said and assured that the corps would continue to work for the peace and stability of the state,” he said.

  • NARTO warns tanker drivers against aiding fuel smuggling

    NARTO warns tanker drivers against aiding fuel smuggling

    The National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has warned Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), against conniving with  petroleum products smugglers, noting that anyone caught doing so would face the consequences.

    The body urged the National Assembly to not scrap the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), warning  that this would worsen fuel distribution crisis across the country.

    In his address at the PTD Branch Executive Council meeting,     NARTO President, Alhaji Kassim Bataiya, insisted that the role of PEF in fuel distribution was vital.

    Bataiya said: “We cannot overemphasise the important and invaluable contribution of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund to the availability and accessibility of Petroleum products at the government approved prices to every citizen wherever they are residing.

    ”In fact, it would have been extremely difficult, if not practically impossible, for citizens in far Northwest, Northeast and some interior places in the Southwest, east and even Southsouth to have access to petroleum products and buy it at the approved prices, if Petroleum Equalisation Fund had not been in existence.”

    “So, we want to use this opportunity to say it will be rather unfortunate if the statement is true, considering the pivotal roles of PEF in the effective and efficient distribution of petroleum products in the country. We earnestly urge Senator Marafa and members of the National Assembly to rethink this matter to avoid worsening and compounding fuel distribution crisis in the country.”

    Bataiya also called on drivers not to allow themselves to be used by smugglers of petroleum products.

  • FRSC to commence aggressive sanction of drivers without license

    FRSC to commence aggressive sanction of drivers without license

    With the observed disobedience to the regulation on the use of driver’s licence by some drivers in the country, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is organising a special operation targeted at detecting the violators and sanctioning them.

    This was disclosed by the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi while receiving the Secretary of Transportation for the FCT, Mr Kayode Opeifa during his courtesy visit to the FRSC National Headquarters Wednesday.
    According to Bisi Kazeem, Corps Public Education Officer, FRSC, the Corps Marshal said the practice of driving vehicle without proper driver’s licence as observed in some drivers is illegal and unacceptable to the FRSC, stressing that the perpetrators would be sanctioned accordingly. Oyeyemi further stated that traffic regulation requires that every driver must be properly licensed to operate a motor vehicle, and whoever violates this basic requirement would be apprehended and meted with appropriate sanctions to serve as deterrence to others.

    To this end, the FCT Sector Commander of the FRSC has been directed to commence a special operation that could fish out the perpetrators of the act and sanction them accordingly.

    Mr Opeifa commended the leadership of the FRSC for the success recorded by the nation in the international recognition of the Nigeria Driver’s licence. He noted that due to the security features introduced into the licences, which make their validity to be verifiable online, many states in the USA have given reciprocal recognition to the holders of the licence from Nigeria, adding that the feats achieved by the FRSC over the years were made possible because of its adoption of technology and huge investment in information technology.

    He congratulated all the states of the Federation and the agencies that contributed to achieving the feat. He further observed that the credibility attained by the document and consequent international recognition remain a pride to the nation. In the same vein, Mr Opeifa commended the FRSC for its untiring campaign on roadworthiness of vehicles, not only in Nigeria, but within the West African sub-region where the FRSC presided over the affairs of the West African Road Safety Organization (WARSO) for a number of years during which visible results were recorded in creating road safety awareness among the people.

    The Secretary appealed for sustained collaboration with the FRSC to make the Electronic Vehicle Inspection Scheme pioneered by the FCT Administration a success, saying the contribution made by the FRSC towards the success of the project is well appreciated. He restated the willingness of the FCT Administration to tap into the experiences and synergy offered by the FRSC in the area of traffic management in the country with the aim of making Abuja a model for other states of the federation to emulate.

    He expressed support for the idea of establishing FCT Road Traffic Management Agency, noting that in view of the growing volume and sophistication of motor transportation business in the FCT, there is the need for the establishment of the agency to handle road traffic management in the FCT the Road Traffic Services would continue to play its traditional role of vehicle inspection and issuance of road worthiness certificates to motorists.

    In his remarks, the Corps Marshal commended Mr Kayode Opeifa for his immense contributions to the success of the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy document. He noted that with the approval given to the strategy document by the Federal Government and inauguration of the National Road Safety Advisory Council by the Vice President early this year, which drew membership from Governors and Ministers including some non- governmental organizations, Nigeria is set to tackle its road safety challenges as demonstrated by the political will of the government.

    The Corps Marshal further observed that some of the immediate challenges the Secretary would face in his assignments at the FCT includes the challenges of road traffic management during the peak period characterizing Christmas and New Year. Others he pointed out are prompt response to report of road conditions by the FCT administration, but expressed satisfaction with the promptness with which the FCT Minister has been responding to reports on road conditions in parts of the FCT. This he said has enabled safer road usage and prevented unnecessary gridlock in the FCT.

    Oyeyemi restated the view that the solution to eradicating mechanically deficient and rickety vehicles from plying the FCT roads lies in employing effective use of electronic vehicle inspection scheme. He assured the Secretary of the readiness of the FRSC to collaborate with the FCT Administration in ensuring the success of road safety initiatives in the FCT including maximum utilization of the vehicle inspection scheme for safety of roads in the FCT.

    The Corps Marshal further noted that part of the reforms carried out by the FRSC to protect the integrity of the driver’s licence was the policy of compulsory participation of fresh drivers in the driving school and certification by relevant agents before being captured for biometric data by the FRSC and vowed to sustain the integrity of the driver’s licences including the number plates.

  • Tanker drivers: we’re not party to strike

    Oil tanker drivers have dissociated themselves from any strike that will unleash hardship on Nigerians.

    The drivers, acting under the aegis of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), are responsible for transporting fuel from one part of the country to the other.

    Its National President, Salimon Oladiti, said members of the organisation were not aware of the decision by the oil workers to begin strike nationwide.

    He described the planned strike as a ruse, as nobody has  informed his association on the issue.

    In tele phone interview at the weekend, Oladiti said the decision by the Petroleum and National Gas Workers Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to go on strike to press home their demand for payment of over N800billion debts owed oil marketers by the Federal Government, was not to his knowledge.

    He said: “We are hearing about the decision by PENGASSAN and NUPENG to embark on strike, just like any other person. But I can tell you confidently that the proposed strike action is fake. There is no iota of truth on the proposed strike action. To the best of my knowledge, any strike in which tanker drivers are not involved is bound to fail.’’

    He said neither PENGASSAN nor NUPENG has discussed the decision to embark on strike with PTD, as part of efforts to force the government to pay the debt owed Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MPMAN), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and Independent Petroleum Products Importers (IPPIS).

    Marketers, after their Joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday, issued a communique on the matter. The communique signed by its Legal Adviser, Patrick Etim, said in the last months, the unions had been inundated by officials of various labour units operating in tank farms and depots across the country that most importers and marketing companies were owing their members backlog of salaries now up to nine months.

    “The most disturbing aspect of this is that many members are redundant as their employers are not able to operate their bank account for their operations with a potential massive job losses of our members in the oil and gas sector and other workers in the banking sector, due to the growing size of this non-performing loans extended to oil marketers with a catastrophic banking system collapse looming in the country,’’ the communique read.