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By:Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,Yenagoa
South-South zonal chairman, National union of Road Transport Workers,NURTW, comrade Thank God Eribo says with the outbreak of the dreaded coronavirus disease,Covid–19 and it’s subsequent spread to Nigeria that he has instructed members of his union to adhere to the precautionary measures put by the Government in curbing virus.
The Transport Union boss stated this Tuesday in an interview with Newsmen in Yenagoa,Bayelsa state.
Eribo harped that the importance of the Government safety rules in checkmating the virus can not be over stressed,saying with obedience of the said measures by drivers involved in the hauling of goods commuting passengers to and from their designated points,the country will be in a better position to contain the disease.
Comrade Eribo until late 2019 served as the zonal Treasurer and chairman of the Bayelsa state NURTW.
According to him while the disease has impacted adversely on businesses worldwide,the Transportation subsector in the country has also suffered setbacks,maintaining that as a result vehicles are now made to commute less passengers than their normal number.
Speaking against the backdrop of the high cost of fares charged by transporters following their compliance to Government precautionary details,he restated that the outbreak of disease has hiked the prices of commodities in the market,just as he mentioned that transporters now bear costelier expenses in running their businesses as some petroleum marketers have also inflated pump price as against Government’s directives, advising that the transport fares as charged presently would not last forever.
“After God is Government,so I advised my union members to obey government rules in controlling the spread of the virus.But it’s not only in Nigeria that these rules are applied.The whole world is affected, so people must respect these safety measures.It’s for the safety of all,” he said.
“Members of NURTW now pay more cost in maintaining their vehicles,so transportation fares too are now high.Transporters now carry less people than normal in their vehicles,but I dympathize with the ordinary people who are now made to pay higher like their wealthy counterparts because of the coronavirus,” he added.
Meanwhile, Eribo has called on the south-South zone Governor’s to appoint transportation experts as their commissioners of transports.
He decried the absence of professionals over the years as Transport commissioners in the zonal states, reaffirming that when people who have involved in the Transportation sector are appointed to take charge of the transportation Ministries,the states will fare well.
