NAN-H-80
Hospitals
By Lydia Beshel
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2016 (NAN) The National Freight Hauliers Association (NFHA) says it will open transit hospitals in the Northern parts of the country toward ensuring the security and welfare of goods and drivers on transit.
The National President of the association, Chief Jackson Bent, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday that the establishment of the hospitals would increase the number of the facilities in the country.
NAN reports that NFHA currently operates transit hospitals in only Abia and Ebonyi states, where it provides first aid to accident or emergency victims on major highways using its Accident Control Unit.
“You know that in every set up when something is very cumbersome you have to start somewhere.
“When we launched the transit hospitals and the Accident Control Unit (ACU), the South-Easterners – Abia and Ebonyi states – stood more seriously and probably they were able to get the ears of their governors and were able to push for the establishment of the hospitals.
“They were able to move faster. Probably they were more concerned about the plight of their people in terms of the security of their goods that are always in transit and were able to get the cooperation of the state governments to get them established.
“The hospitals are helping them in road traffic and accident control.
“Now that we have some of the hospitals in the South, we are going to start moving in the Northern direction to start raising that awareness for us to push for the establishment of the transit hospitals,’’ he said.
The ACU was established to ensure safety and control of traffic congestions in the cities.
It was also established to ensure security of goods in transit and instil discipline in drivers on the highways.
Bent assured Nigerians that they would continue to feel the impact of the association in terms of safety of lives and goods on transit and reduction in the rate of accidents on the highways.
The national president of the association called for the establishment of a body that would properly address the welfare of freight and haulage drivers.
He said: “There are two categories of drivers – the drivers, who are for freight and haulage, and other drivers. The other drivers have their own unions that take care of their welfare.
“When we talk about drivers in this sector, it is the drivers of goods only vehicles that we refer to or the freight and haulage drivers.
“We are more concerned about tanker and trailer drivers and the like, because they drive the freight haulage sector in this country.
“There are trailer and tanker drivers, who get involved in accidents and die and their families suffer.
“So, we need to come together; we need a body that will take care of their welfare, because once their welfare is taken care of, their morale will be high and they will put in their best to what they do. And we’ll expect the best from them.’’
He said no country could be built without the freight and haulage industry as the materials used to build structures were delivered not in cars but in trucks and trailers.
Bent, therefore, called on all stakeholders in the freight haulage business to work closely and ensure order and security in their operations.
“We’re dependent on one another just like the police and the road safety officials work toward one goal on the highways.
“They are complementing one another’s efforts. Our intention is not to go solo. There should not be rivalry in what we do because we are all augmenting one another.
“We need cooperation; we need to come under one umbrella. We need to bring order and ensure security in what we do,’’ he added.
He said the declaration of support for the association by the National Task Force on Mobile Adverts was “excellent and a step in the right direction’’. (NAN)
LAB/YEE
Edited by Emmanuel Yashim
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