RTEAN pushes for Bank of Transportation

The Ogun State chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has called on the Federal Government to establish a Bank of Transportation to provide affordable financing for operators in the road transport sector.

The State Secretary of RTEAN, Aare Tiwalade Akingbade, said the proposed bank would enable transport operators to access loans at single-digit interest rates of between four and nine per cent, helping them acquire vehicles, expand their businesses and improve service delivery.

He spoke on Tuesday during a meeting at the association’s secretariat in Abeokuta, where he insisted that transportation business remains a key driver of any nation’s economy.

Akingbade, who disclosed that the association had submitted several proposals to the Federal Government, expressed optimism that the government would consider and implement them, particularly the establishment of a dedicated financial institution for the transportation sector.

He argued that the prevailing lending rates offered by conventional financial institutions were too high for transport operators to sustain profitable businesses.

“If you are in the road transportation business and have to obtain loans from the same financial institutions that lend to operators in sectors such as oil and gas, at interest rates of 25 per cent, how do you expect to repay such loans and remain profitable?” he asked.

According to him, the association is not seeking financial assistance in the form of free money but a dedicated platform through which operators can obtain loans at affordable rates.

“We are not asking for free money. All we are asking for is a dedicated platform that will give transportation operators access to loans at affordable, single-digit interest rates of between four and nine per cent,” Akingbade said.

He stressed that an efficient, reliable and affordable transportation system was essential to meaningful economic development, noting that road transportation remained the dominant mode of transport because it connected passengers to other means of transportation, including rail, water and air.

In a related development, members of the Ogun State chapter of RTEAN have obtained certificates in conflict resolution following a three-day value-added training programme organised in collaboration with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).

The training, which involved 20 participants, was facilitated through FUNAAB’s Institute of Communication and General Studies under its Peace and Development Studies Programme.

Certificates were presented to the beneficiaries by the State Chairman, Alhaji Akibu Titilayo Efele, represented by the Deputy Chairman (Administration), Otunba Segun Johnson, at the Tuesday meeting of the association.

Speaking with newsmen after the presentation, Akingbade said the programme was designed to equip members with the skills to manage disputes, improve relationships with passengers and effectively handle their responsibilities as transport operators and employers.

He explained that the programme also offered participants opportunities to advance their knowledge through higher qualifications, including an advanced certificate and a diploma in conflict resolution.

According to him, the training was particularly important because of the perception that transport operators were difficult to deal with, despite their daily interactions with passengers and other members of the public.

Akingbade added that members needed conflict management skills to deal effectively with their drivers and manage their transport businesses.

One of the participants, Osioyemi Osinyemi Olasunkanmi, who received a certificate in conflict resolution, said the training had changed his perception of the university and demonstrated that transport union members could benefit from structured academic programmes.

In a related development, members of the association benefited from a medical screening exercise, where health professionals conducted blood pressure and blood sugar checks.

Dr Fashola Caleb of the Ogun State Ministry of Health said the exercise had enabled medical personnel to identify some participants with health concerns and counsel them on the need to seek further medical attention.

“We have seen a lot of them so far, and some of them had complaints that we have attended to. It was as if this programme was designed for some of them because we have actually been able to pick one or two of them that had some disease, and we have counselled them appropriately,” Caleb said.

He added that participants who required further investigations had been advised to visit nearby hospitals as soon as possible.

The doctor said more than 100 people had been screened or attended to during the exercise, noting that members continued to come forward for checks several hours after the programme began.

Caleb urged commercial drivers to prioritise their health, stressing that medical emergencies behind the wheel could endanger passengers and other road users.

“Generally, for drivers, they need to pay attention to their health because we don’t pray that they have emergencies. But if emergencies should happen while they are on their duty, it can affect other people’s lives,” he said.

He advised drivers to undergo regular medical check-ups, comply with medical instructions and visit their doctors when necessary.

Caleb also recommended that transport associations organise periodic eye-screening exercises and take medical services closer to drivers at motor parks and garages to encourage greater participation.

He further advised drivers to abstain from alcohol before driving, keep their driver’s licences up to date, maintain their vehicles properly and observe road safety regulations.