The National Freight Hauliers Association (NFHA) has commenced pilot provision of medical facilities at strategic locations along highways for drivers on long journeys.
National President of the group, Chief Jackson Bent made the disclosure in Abuja while exchanging views with the executive secretary of Nigeria Shippers’ Council, Alhaji Hassan Bello.
He said the move had assisted to boost the morale of drivers who needed welfare during long journeys.
Chief Bent called for deliberate policy to reduce congestion and save man-hours in doing freight haulage business along busiest roads.
He noted that the policy would reduce the number of traffic jams on the busiest stretches by at least 30 percent at first instance.
The association’s president urged government to conclude work on the resuscitation of the moribund railway scheme to enhance competitiveness in the freight haulage of the transport sub-sector of the economy.
According to him, there was need to encourage freight hauliers to transport freight outside peak hours to reduce the number of traffic jams.
He said, “Apart from reducing unemployment, NFHA’s operations in this connection has the potential to enhance youth capacity building and thus minimise crime on our highways and society
“With increased modernization and synergy with NFHA government will find it increasingly expedient and easier to tighten up the requirements for cleaner, more efficient and quieter engines of lorries, lorries, and delivery vans in the interest of the environment
“This can be facilitated by injecting greater synergy and sense of responsibility in the freight haulage industry
“Whereas negative and unhealthy competition for monopoly led to the abandonment of freight haulage by rail, our strategy is to encourage competitiveness between private lorries, trailers and the railways and thereby ensure efficient service delivery
“The collaborative engagements will address the past problems of abandoning government controlled railways as a result of pressure from self-seeking private haulage operators to the injury of the national economy. We are out to checkmate such evil action
“With our plans for professionalisation in the haulage industry, government support and certification will ward off the substantially unproductive emergence of mushroom organizations dotting the place that impede the growth and development of haulage industry
“When centralization and professionalisation of the freight haulage are encouraged, we will facilitate the putting in place of the required national heavy vehicles accreditation programme to enhance data collection and analysis.”