NURTW tasks motorists on adherence to traffic rules

ABUJA – The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has called for strict observance of traffic rules by motorists to curb the menace of road accidents.

This is contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by Mr Kefas Dogon-Yaro, the Director of Information Services of NURTW.

It quoted Alhaji Najeem Yasin, the president of NURTW, as saying that over speeding and non-observance of traffic rules were the major factors contributing to accident on the nation’s highway.

“I call on the motorists to always avoid over speeding and observe traffic rules and signs in the nations’ highways in order to tackle the menace.’’

Yasin also urged the Federal Government to improve on the roads across the country and ensure provision of road signs.

He however appealed to government to provide adequate security at various motor parks in the country to avert mishaps.

The NURTW boss said the union was focused on alleviating grievance and offering relief to its members that were affected by or involved in road accidents.

He said that this was being done through its Road Accident Health Insurance Scheme (RAHIS).

RAHIS is a scheme under the NURTW platform that provides emergency medical insurance for commercial road transport users, drivers and their passengers.

“The first beneficiaries of the scheme are registered members of the union and all their passengers.’’

According to him, the scheme is open to other organised public commercial road users, transport companies, organisations and all their passengers who get registered in the scheme.

“Every now and then, we receive statistics of deaths and serious injuries resulting from road accidents across the country.

“Behind these statistics you find aggrieved families or someone faced with a life threatening injury,’’ he said.

He also said that from inception of the scheme in 2009 to date, more than 200 victims had  been compensated.

Yasin said close to 5,000 passengers and drivers who sustained injuries have either received treatment or been compensation.

He said that the scheme compensated beneficiaries who were relatives of those who died through road accidents while travelling in vehicles under RAHIS cover. (NAN)