Transport unions in Borno have in a meeting with officials of Borno Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Thursday signed agreement to ensure full compliance with guidelines given by Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 regarding transportation business.
The meeting convened by the Borno Sector Commander of the FRSC, CC Sanusi K. Ibrahim was attended by officials of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Road Transport Employers of Nigeria (RTEAN), Borno Express Corporation and other stakeholders involved in transportation in the state.
In the meeting, they all agreed to ensure the regular sanitization of parks/terminals and provide handwashing equipments and running water for usage by passengers before and after disembarking from vehicles.
They also agreed to place notices to guide passengers and other park users on all safety protocols on COVID-19, and to provide temperature readers to check all persons gaining access to their premises as wells as uphold the mandatory use of face masks.
They further agreed that all interstate and intercity travels should be initiated from registered or organised motorparks/terminals to ensure effective passenger screening, while passengers should maintain reasonable physical distancing both in the park and inside vehicles.
The agreement signed also include the non usage of air condition in vehicles so that windows can be open for proper ventilation.
In his remarks at the meeting, the Borno Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr Sanusi Ibrahim who urged for maximum support to government effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, said passengers would be enlightened to report any transporter who failed to comply with the guidelines to FRSC command nearest to them.
Ibrahim said the FRSC would also sustain its monitoring of motorparks to ensure compliance.
Speaking on behalf of transporters, the Borno Secretary of NURTW, Alhaji Ahmadu Musa, assured their commitment to comply with the guidelines.
Musa said that they have been complying with most of the guidelines before the meeting and the has now ginger them to put more effort in ensuring total compliance by their members.
