The executive president of Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Shehu Musa Isiwele in this brief chat with Abba-Eku Onyeka in his office in Abuja advises road users against taking alcohol before driving; using phones while on steering; and smoking while driving, among other similar vices. Isiwele also believes that that transporters should be in a better position to manage the toll gates for the country based on experience and expertise. He spoke on other national issues.Particularly he hailed the strides of Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation,Rotimi Amaechi. Excerpts:
Q: What would be your advice to drivers on the road in this festive period?
A: The essence of traveling during this period is to enjoy the Christmas with their beloved ones and as such the drivers and the transporters will also use the opportunity to serve the public in return for their business promotion. We of the RTEAN make time to organise workshops for our drivers from time to time, especially on the areas of smoking cigarettes on the steering; taking of alcohol before and during driving; and answering phones calls while driving, among other similar devices that are dangerous to safe driving. I also urge drivers and passengers to form the habit of using seat belt. The use of seat belt is very important, because it has saved many lives. If you have been boarding our vehicles, you would have found out that our drivers obey all these rules and regulations. We ensure that our drivers don’t talk or discuss with passengers while driving to avoid losing concentration. So on my position, I appeal to all the road users to carefully and seriously use the roads instead of the roads to use them. It is important for them to be moderate in order to reach their destinations on time.
We have been having series of meetings with officers and men or Directorate of Road Transport Services (VIO), Federal Road Service Corps (FRSC) and other government agencies to that effect.
Q: Fuel scarcity has just started in Abuja and environs, what would be your reactions to that during this season?
A: The government has been trying so far and I appeal to them to keep it on by not allowing fuel scarcity in this period.
Q: Transport fares are usually high during festive periods, denying many from traveling to enjoy in their villages, is your organisation doing anything to address this yearly occurrence?
A: We don’t add money to transport fares during festive periods, because our happiness is the happiness of our passengers. Unless there is scarcity or price hike in fuel or increase in vehicle spare parts and maintenance which we don’t pray for, vehicles under RTEAN will not add anything to fares.
Q: Drivers have been complaining of problems they encounter from task force set up by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister in Abuja and their trade unions didn’t care and they have been threatening to go on strike, what is RTEAN doing about that?
A: Well, I am not aware of that. We shall not go on strike because we are vehicle owners. I want to inform you that every driver, be he taxi or bus driver is expected to know the designated place for him to park. We are not a part of any strike. My advice to the FCT minister is for him to allow small buses to ply in the town, because the minister that banned the small buses provided big buses, but most of those big buses are no more functioning. Since most of the big buses were not being maintained, the best thing is for the small buses to be allowed into the town for Nigerians in FCT to have ease of movement. I want to appeal to the authority to temper justice with mercy because the drivers are Nigerians who are fighting to feed their family. While I urge the drivers to obey the rules and regulations, I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the minister to map out parking places for the taxi drivers in order to put to an end the embarrassment, because if they go on strike, it will not be good to both government and the citizens.
Q: Having been calling for restoration of toll gates in the country, are you satisfied with the decision of the government on it so far?
A: The number of approved toll gates are small. I advise the government to as a matter of efficiency find out from the minister of Labor and Productivity the registered trade unions and give the management of the toll gates to them. They are in a better position to manage the toll gates based on their area of field because they will use the proceeds of the toll gates to maintain the roads. Handing over toll gates to people who are not in the system is not the best. We are the road users and we know what is good for us and the road. With we the trade unions as it affect the road in charge of the toll gates, the difference will be positively difference. Let the experts be allowed to do the work in their area of specialisation for the aims and objectives to be met..
Q: Some transporters were allegedly said to suggest that the ministry of transport will be in a better position should a transporter be made the minister, don’t you think that they asking for too much?
A: They are not asking for too much, but it will not be possible because we are not in a military government and the politicians know their cliques. They usually compensate their members with such appointment. In the federal ministry of justice, the lawyers are made the minister; in the ministry of education, educationists are appointed; in the ministry of health, a medical doctor is appointed to the position of a minister. So if a transporter is given the ministry of transport to manage as a professional, the difference will be noticed positively. But the present minister of transport, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi is doing very well. He has been calling all the trade unions in the transport sector to find out their problems. He even preaches for peaceful coexistence and association in order to promote aims and objectives of moving the country to the expected level in the area. I commend him for such giant stride because this kind of thing has never happened before. Gathering RTEAN, National Union and other trade unions in the transport sector has impacted positively in the industry. I commend him and urge him to keep it up. For recognising our importance, he (deserves) kudos.
Q: Could you speak on the latest in RTEAN?
A: We are progressing and we are moving forward. By next year, we shall be 40 years. We are building a befitting Secretariat as a national headquaters. Lagos state chapter has been sending some of their members to Mecca and they want to continue to do that. They have been sending Christians among their members to Jerusalem and I am sure that they will continue to do that. We have been organising workshops and seminars for our drivers and other members to update them. We take time to ensure that we take proper care of our members’ welfare. I want to inform you that we take time to treat our sick members by taking them to hospitals. That is the essence of forming a union. So we have the interest of our members at heart.
I want to use this opportunity to commend President Muhammad Buhari who travelled to the South East which I believe contributed to a successful governorship in Anambra state. In fact I also want to congratulate Chief Willy Obiano for victory. The INEC should also be commended for wonderful performance during the election because it was free and fair and other states should emulate the Anambra election.
Q: What will be your advice to your members so as to move forward?
A: Let them keep on a promoting peace, because what peace can’t achieve, war can’t. Let them continue to be law abiding and be supportive to the government in power.
Q: Most trade unions in the transport sector don’t agree with each other, what role has RTEAN been playing to proffer solutions for that as one of the notable organizations?
A: We have started understanding ourselves. The Corps Marshal of FRSC Boboye Oyeyemi has been calling us together and I gave him that as a challenge and he has been fighting it tooth and nail. So we understand ourselves.
