Larfarge moves to enhance highway safety

Having observed reckless driving as well as bad attitudes of Nigerian drivers, especially truck drivers on the highways, Lafarge Africa has launched Logistics Academy where truck drivers will be trained and empowered with the safety culture and robust fleet management.

According to Micheal Puchercos, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Lafarge Africa, the Lafarge Africa Logistics Academy was launched as a follow-up to Road safety Project and Drivers Academy earlier established to ensure sound safety culture, process efficiency and good performance among truck drivers.

Speaking at launching of Lafarge Africa Logistics Academy held in Ewekoro cement plant in Ogun state, Lafarge Africa group managing director, represented by Fidelia Osime, Director, Organisation and Human Resource, declared that the Academy was launched to improve on health and safety of Lafarge Africa’s staff, contractors and Nigerians as a whole.

He said, “Road Transport Safety is one of the key focus areas of Lafarge Africa’s Health and Safety Improvement Plan in realisation that moving our products and materials on the roadsteps without accidents or incidents, is a major challenge.

To address this, we have come up with a structured process of assessing our transporters, using tools such GPS to monitor trucks, rewarding and applying consequences to driver behaviour, while partnering with our transporters to have good maintenance and systems in place through drivers training and the Logistics Academy.

“The Lafarge Africa Logistics Academy is a demonstration of our commitment to achieving Operational Performance Improvement as we strive for world class standards, and it is tailored towards improving process efficiency and driving a culture of performance improvement in the organisation, including classroom sessions, practical field assessment, mentoring and coaching.”

Also speaking at the event was Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, who was represented by Adenrele Adeshina, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, said that the multinational cement producers had taken a right step in checking bad driving habit among truck drivers which cause loss of lives on Nigerian roads.