By Michael Olatunji
The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) yesterday hailed the Federal Government for heeding the plea of transport workers and lifting the interstate travel ban imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Recall that the Federal Government on Monday announced the lifting of the ban imposed since May 4, five weeks after total lockdown in some states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to combat the virus.
Commending the Federal Government, Alhaji Abdulrahman Amusan, the National Publicity Secretary of RTEAN said the gesture had shown that the government had a listening ear and felt their plights.
According to him, the interstate transport operators whose sources of livelihood had long been paralysed by the lockdown and the ban are jubilating and rejoicing with the new development.
“The entire National Executive Council (NEC) of RTEAN led by the President, Alhaji Musa Mohammed and all State Executive Councils want to appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for being human and considerate in lifting this ban. It has been really tough for our members who deal in interstate travels.
“We thank the Federal Government most sincerely for this development. We commend the government for not forgetting or abandoning the affected operators whose businesses and sources of livelihood had been paralysed.
“This review is the best thing now, our suffering members are happy and rejoicing over this because it will end several weeks of hardship and sufferings. We are grateful.
“Again, we have lectured and admonished our members to strictly adherence to all the COVID-19 prevention guidelines and protocols because all the government efforts are for our safety,” the RTEAN spokesman said.
According to him, the union is in total support of the efforts of the government in combating the novel coronavirus and will continue to support the government in all its policies and programmes especially during this pandemic.
Amusan, who doubles as the Secretary of the union in Lagos State, said that the many drivers and conductors would have food on their tables with the development.
He added that everyone could imagine the sufferings of drivers and conductors who did not have any other source of livelihood apart from state to state, city to city transportation without any assistance from the government in the last about three months.
Amusan assured that the union was ready to obey all the guidelines and protocols as prescribed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
