The leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Kaduna has intensified security checks at motor parks within the metropolis to ensure the safety of passengers’ lives and properties.
Mr Sunday Danlami, Secretary of NURTW, Sabo Unit, disclosed this on Monday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.
Danlami said the effort was necessitated to curb crimes like kidnapping and other related criminality associated with the transport business.
He said part of the measures included verification of registered members, security surveillance at the parks, a routine check of vehicles and ensuring passengers’ manifest form was filled, passengers.
“We know our registered members as such, it is easy to identify strange faces at the respective parks while verification of new members is also taken seriously.
“We also caution our drivers to always ensure that passengers filled the manifest form by themselves before take-off for any journey,” Danlami added.
The official also noted that other agencies, including Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTLEA) and the Police visited parks within the metropolis to sensitise members to road safety nuggets.
Danlami said part of the challenges the union witnessed included the failure of some drivers to renew their licences and ensure their vehicles were in good shape, the operation of illegal motor parks and the impatience of some drivers who would not wait for their vehicles to get filled at the parks before take-off.
“Drivers complain about continued harassment by Government Officials in transport business but fail to, on their part, do the needful,” he said.
He cautioned passengers to always patronise genuine motor parks and desist from boarding vehicles on the roadside.
He added, “chances of falling victim of being robbed or kidnapped are high when you enter roadside vehicles.”
