Gabriel Enenche —
Yesterday, at the 23rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has made more financial commitment to infrastructural development.
In a statement signed by the Director (Press and Public Relations), Blessing Lere -Adams, in Abuja, the minister was quoted as saying that road construction in Nigeria had improved dredging, granite, laterite and quarry businesses, adding that NARTO remained one of the major beneficiaries for moving goods and services during construction works.
The Minister also advised NARTO to enforce weight regulation from loading point for the safety of the nation’s roads and also ensure their members were professionally trained drivers.
“The Minister told NARTO to create certification for it’s members and drivers must be made to maintain speed limit, as well as bringing a stop to the culture of repairing trucks by the roadside, suggesting that workshops or trucks should be created in all states and NARTO divisions across the country, the statement read.
“In his remarks, NARTO President, Yusuf Lawal thanked President Buhari for making NARTO part of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Road Task Team that will supervise critical roads being handled by NNPC.
“Yusuf further disclosed that NARTO has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that its members would observe high level of sincerity and responsibility during and after the conduct of 2023 election while moving election materials around”.
Also, Mr Yemi Adetunji, who represented NNPC at the event, said NARTO was involved in almost all activities of its organization and that they were a key player in realizing its objective of contributing to the national economy.
He said NNPC was to support government to rehablitate roads in Nigeria, adding that they would ensure petrol products were available for people through NARTO.
In his remarks the Corps Marshal of Federal Road Safety Commision, FRSC, Corps Marshal Dauda Ali, said: ” NARTO has been working with us for a long time and we will always advise them when it is necessary, we worked together to ensure a successful ember months period..”
Also speaking at the event, representative of Major Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, Godwin Jarikre, said: ” Since 2020, we have been collaborating with NARTO for the benefit of Nigerians to ensure safe driving on the roads and to ensure bad emission from their trucks are not affecting members of the public.
