The Chairman, Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Tincan Island Chapter, Alhaji Isiaka Olalere has called on other terminal operators operating at the nation’s seaport to emulate the management of AP Moller Terminals (APMT), Apapa and put in place test kits that would enable them to test every truck driver coming to load containers from their terminals for alcohol and drug before allowing them in to load their trucks.
Speaking in an interview with Primetime Reporters in Lagos recently, Olalere believed that if this measure which he said was in place at the APMT Apapa was introduced in other terminals, it would go a long way in reducing accidents as a result of alcohol or drug intake on the part of the drivers.
While adducing to the fact that alcohol or drug intake contributed to accidents on the highways, he however opined that bad road was the major cause of accidents on the road.
“This issue of bad road is part of problem but again, they talk about our drivers smoking Indian hemp, drinking beer. I know that it is true that some of them may be drinking alcohol but in some terminals, there are some instruments they use to test any errant driver. Like AP Moller, if you are going there, there is a place that they will test you and if they are convinced that you are drunk, they will not allow you to go in and load.
“This is what is happening and I believe all other terminal operators will emulate AP Moller by putting up machinery that can checkmate or test all these drivers. But the major thing I see is bad road”, he said.
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