The leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Kaduna said it had intensified security checks at motor parks within the metropolis to ensure safety of lives and property of passengers.

Sunday Danlami, NURTW secretary at the Sabo unit, disclosed this on Monday in Kaduna.

Mr Danlami said the effort was necessitated to curb kidnapping and other crimes associated with the transport business.

He explained that part of the measures included verification of registered members, security surveillance at the parks, routine check of vehicles and ensuring passengers’ manifest form was filled by passengers.

“We know our registered members as such, it is easy to identify strange faces at the respective parks while verification of new members is also taken seriously,” he stated. “We also caution our drivers to always ensure that passengers fill the manifest form by themselves before take- off for any journey.”

The NURTW official also noted that other agencies, including Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTLEA) and the police visited parks within the metropolis to sensitise members on being safe on the road safety.

Mr Danlami added that part of the NURTW’s challenges included failure of drivers to renew their licences, keeping their vehicles in good shape, operating illegal motor parks and impatience of drivers not waiting for their vehicles to get filled at the parks before take-off.

“Drivers complain about continued harassment by government officials in transport business but fail to, on their part, do the needful,” he said.The NURTW secretary cautioned passengers to always patronise genuine motor parks and desist from boarding vehicles along the road.

He added, “Chances of falling victim of being robbed or kidnapped are high when you enter roadside vehicles.” 

(NAN)