Road transport workers, particularly truck owners across Niger State have backed the state government plan to put on hold activities of heavy-duty trucks in its bid to fast track ongoing construction of the Minna-Bida road in the state.
The transport workers who supported the government plans include the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Petroleum Tankers Drivers’ (PTD), and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) as well as other security agencies.
The State Governor, Abubakar Bello, said that transport workers’ support came barely a day after the Infrastructure Project Monitoring Committee came up with the modality of putting trucks plying the road on hold until such times when the road construction was completed.
Through a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel-Berje, Bello noted that the decision to put truck activities on hold was reached after careful consideration and consultation with the transport workers and truck drivers association across the state.
He noted that the decision was in the best interest of all stakeholders and that such was not taken to inflict any form of pain on transport workers, particularly truck drivers in the state, and that alternative routes would be created for small vehicles.
Meanwhile, the statement quoted Secretary to the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Niger State chapter, Kabiru Umar, as pledging their support on the ban and assured total compliance by members, saying that the construction was being done in the interest of all.
