ALHAJI Musa Isiwele, the National President, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), says Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has no business establishing Truck Transit Parks (TTP).
Isiwele made the position of RTEAN known during an interaction with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said that the business of NSC was only in the maritime sector and it had no business venturing into development of TTPs.
He said the establishment of TTPs should be the business of those in road transportation.
“The truck transit parks that the shippers’ council wants to build are not their duty because they have no business with road transportation or do they have trucks on the road?
“They are shippers’ council, they deal with water and ships, are they are saying that because they are getting funds from the government, that’s why they want to divert from their own profession.
“TTP is a public rest area located off the road, designed to provide temporary rest location for truck drivers. It is primarily intended for short-term breaks and also long-term parking services.
“It is where truck drivers can get fuel, food, restrooms, shower and basic supplies like oil, spare parts as well as servicing and repairs of haulage vehicles.
“You will recall that the NSC says it is promoting the development of TTP projects across the country on a Public-Private Partnership in line with the Federal Government’s policy to address the infrastructure deficit in the country”.
Isiwele said the idea of truck transit parks was to provide a short-term resting place for truck drivers on long-distance travels to reduce the loss of life and cargo caused by accidents arising from fatigue.
He also reacted to the proposed cattle colonies by the government, explaining that “cattle rearing is a private business and not for government”.
“My advice, Sambisa forest is a big forest, why can’t they let them put their cows there and anybody that wants to buy can go to Sambisa and buy instead of taking cows to someone’s farm to eat up his crops.
“It is very bad. We are talking about United Nigeria, we shouldn’t allow this grazing something to cause a problem for us because it is about personal business,” he said.
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Speaking on the achievements of RTEAN in 2017, he said that a six-storey secretariat was launched at Jabi Abuja, while 18-seater Toyota Corolla bus was given to some state chairmen as official vehicles.
He said 11 scholarships were given out in 2017, while four persons benefitted in 2016.
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