PRIVATE CARS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENTS ON OUR ROADS – NURTW PRESIDENT, PROF. BARUWA
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
National President, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Prof. Ibikunle Tajudeen Baruwa
The National President, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Prof. Ibikunle Tajudeen Baruwa has laid the blames for most of the accidents on Nigerian roads on private car owners and drivers. Noting that as the union of the largest population of drivers in Nigeria, Prof. Baruwa said that they have made it a duty to educate their members on traffic rules, regulations, and advisory.
Prof. Ibikunle Baruwa added in his exclusive chat with the National President, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP, Comrade Oki Samson, ‘It is hearsay that NURTW is not organized or uneducated. Most of the accidents on our roads are caused by private cars and not commercial vehicles. In our union, we give ourselves orientation seminars where we teach ourselves about road signs, etc.’
‘We ask ourselves about the Highway Code and other traffic issues. So it is a wrong perception to say we don’t know what we are doing. Maybe in the olden days, in the 80s, in the early 90s. That is wrong.’
Highlighting other projects undertaken by the union to educate their members and other members of the public, Baruwa told NAOSNP, ‘We have Open University here. In Maiduguri, in Kaduna, we have driving schools where we train people how to drive. All state chairmen come here to get orientation. We deal with the public. The passengers are our customers. We know that what happens in the commercial buses become talking point at home in the evening so that is why we are very careful in our dealings.’
The incumbent President who is seeking a re-election, Baruwa has uplifted the union with his leadership capacity and competence. With his entrepreneurial spirit, patriotism and positive influence, Ibikunle Tajudeen Baruwa has built a good working relationship with critical stakeholders such as Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the transport sector. This is in line with his passion to place the union in positive light in the eye of the public.
During the interview, the National President was accompanied by some executive members of the NURTW national body. They include Mr. J. P. Asogwa, the General Secretary; Alhaji Suleiman Abdulkadir, Deputy General Secretary; Alh Mohammed Tukur, Special Adviser to President; former manager of Sunshine, Adamawa; Raymond Adeyemi, El-rufai; Alh. Sulaiman Dansaki; and Alhaji Mohammed Bello.
