Third Mainland Bridge. PHOTO: PageOne.ng
The Petrol Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has commended the Minister of Works, Power, and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, on improvement in infrastructure development across the country.
They attested that effort put in is a sheer demonstration of the Ministry’s commitment, determination, vision, foresight, and political will to impact on the lives of the citizenry.
The National Chairman, PTD, Comrade Salimon Akanni Oladiti, in a letter obtained by The Guardian, said Fashola has profoundly shown strong commitment and determination to completing both ongoing and abandoned projects by previous administrations.
According to Oladiti, the socio-economic development and subsequent economic growth of any nation is strongly linked to its state of infrastructure.
Noting that road infrastructure is of great importance to an average driver, he bemoaned the challenges felt by his members who traverse across the country to ensure adequate supply of petroleum products for private, domestic, commercial and industrial use.
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He gave instances of some of his members, who have suffered permanent disability, while some suffered not only loss of products, but also became victims of untimely death.
Specifically, the Union commended Fashola for the full maintenance and repair of the 11.8 kilometer Third Mainland Bridge, and the rehabilitation and reconstruction of other major roads across Nigeria.
“The level and quality of transportation system in any area are of crucial in influencing political, economic and social progress, and these must be considered at every stage of local, national and regional development planning.
“Without good roads, it is difficult to have socially inclusive development interventions.
These include improved accessibility to social infrastructure (schools, churches and health centres), increased access to education and health facilities and improved social interaction and mobility.
These are important for social and economic development, improved access to markets through the reduction of transport costs and improvement of the marketability of perishable goods through timely and cheaper transportation.
“On our part as PTD, we would never renege in entrenching safety on the roads by eschewing unhealthy traffic behaviours, this we would persistently sustain through periodic training for our members, and at no time would we compromise minimum safety standard or any other acts that contravene high way code.”
Source: G Business
