The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has ordered Dangote Industries Limited to immediately commence removal of all its broken-down vehicles on the highways across the country to forestall accidents on the roads. FRSC also decried the unprofessional attitudes of Dangote Company’s drivers on the highways, stressing that their attitude had become a source of concern to other road users. The corps added that efforts must be made to ensure that the drivers are brought under strict control to avoid the menace of road crashes and agreed that the company operates one of the largest numbers of fleet of articulated vehicles in the country.

FRSC Corps Marshall, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi gave this order in a statement issued in Lagos by the Head, Media Relations and Strategy of the corps, Mr. Bisi Kazeem. The statement also hinted that both organisations have agreed on the roadmap for ensuring reduction in the road traffic crashes involving the company’s vehicles.

He explained that both parties have also agreed to ensure faithful implementation of the resolutions reached at the interactive session. Oyeyemi reiterated the commitment of the government to ensure accident free highways, stressing that the government would be more vigilant in monitoring the activities of the drivers of the company to determine its compliance with the safety roadmap drawn. He posited that since road remained the most favourable means of transportation in the country, necessary measures must be put in place to protect the users noting that FRSC was particularly concerned with the level of impunity being displayed by some drivers of Dangote Industries Limited who operate without due consideration to lives of other road users. According to FRSC boss, many lives had been lost in several road traffic crashes they caused, while the nation equally suffered unquantifiable volume of economic losses from the crashes.

His words: “A situation where the drivers of the company would knock down a road user, abandon the vehicle and disappear into the thin air is unacceptable to the FRSC.

“Even, FRSC personnel who go on patrol and rescue operations are not exempted from the ugly practice of the company’s drivers. However, as the lead agency for road safety management and administration in the country, FRSC will do all it can to put a stop to such carelessness.

“This meeting is therefore, called to address the matter and for all stakeholders to discuss on the way forward.”

The Corps Marshal, who also frowned at the way some of the drivers of the company indulge in overloading, urged its management to put in place necessary measures that could ensure that the ECOWAS protocol on axle load was not violated. He added that as the company with large number of fleet of vehicles, it should show good example to others by using reflective tapes on its vehicles to give them adequate illumination especially in the night.

Reacting to the issue, Special Assistant to the Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Abdulrahman Yakassai, lauded FRSC to its commitment to road safety campaigns. He however noted that the company was as concerned with issues of road safety as the FRSC, stressing that in tackling the increasing rate of road traffic crashes involving its vehicles, management had taken various measures including training and retraining of the drivers and implementation of other safety measures drawn up by the team of experts on road safety. The meeting further urged Dangote Group to embark on the installation of mobile weigh bridges at all its premises across the country to ensure compliance with ECOWAS loading regulations.

The panel also urged Dangote Group to establish and operate a standard driving school for its truck and trailer drivers, while calling on the FRSC to encourage regular interactions between Commanding Officers and Dangote offices located within their jurisdiction for increased synergy and prompt resolution of some of the road safety matters to avoid further crashes. Also in attendance at the meeting were representatives of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; the National Security Adviser and Department of State Services. (National Mirror)

•Photo shows Dangote trucks blocking a road.