By Cliffsimeon Akalonu
The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), has urged the Federal Government to come to the aid of the union by aggressively deploying detective kits to motor parks, saying it has directed state chairmen of the association to provide hand sanitisers to all parks under them to contain the further spread of Corona virus (COVID-19), in motor parks nationwide.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Union, Alhaji Abdulrahman Amusan, who made the appeal in Lagos on Tuesday, said the association had done a lot in educating and sensitising its members on the virus and the need to prevent the spread.
“We need detective kits from the Federal Government to check commuters. The national union of RTEAN has directed members nationwide to provide sanitisers in and around all our motor parks across the federation.
“We urge commuters to cooperate when the union officials direct them to sanitize their hands before boarding any commercial vehicle,” the publicity secretary said.
The RTEAN apokesman, who also doubles as the Secretary of the Lagos Chapter, urged members of the union to be conscious of their health and increase the hygiene of both their vehicles and parks’ environment.
According to him, all members have been directed on what to do and the contact to call if they notice symptoms in any passenger.
He said the union was committed to do all within its powers to contain the spread of the virus in motor parks, advised passengers to cooperate in the fight against the spread of the virus.
Amusan, however, said that the union on its part had embarked on massive education and sensitisation of its members across the country on the global pandemic.
He called collaboration of the Federal Health Ministry and the union to contain the spread in the country at various motor parks through provision of detective kits.
The outbreak of Coronavirus in the country has affected so many sectors of the nation’s economy and has led to closure of some institutions in a bid to prevent the spread.
On reduction in pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the Federal Government, the RTEAN spokesman, who commended the government, directed union members nationwide to reflect new pump price of PMS in fares.
He, however, urged marketers of petrol across the country to effect new pump price in the interest of the general masses.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had approved the reduction of the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly referred to as petrol, from N145 per litre to N125 per litre with immediate effect.
The order from the government to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the reduction came against the backdrop of the crash in crude oil prices globally.
Reacting, Amusan said: “The executive national president uses this opportunity to thank the Federal Government for the reduction in the pump price of petrol. We enjoin members of the association to allow the reduction to reflect in the transport fares/ charges across the country.”
He urged members to be law abiding in all their operations and increase their personal hygiene.