ISSUES DESERVING PARKS & GARAGES COMMITTEE’S CAREFUL CONSIDERATION

Dr Taiwo Olufemi Salaam, Secretary, Parks & Garages Committee

Beginning Tuesday, 12th April 2022, a regular contributor, Afolabi Adedeji, a Mechanical Engr and fellow of the Nigeria Society Engineers, NSE, began highlighting crucial issues the committee now has a golden opportunity to ventilate upon and accordingly advise the government in its report.

Apart from the incisive historical background in the highly seminal article, Engr Adedeji ventilated 17 points agenda for the committee’s consideration along with the terms of reference handed to the committee by the state government.

Savour the remaining 13 points from Engr Adedeji’s 17 points agenda for the committee’s consideration:

Helping Transport Workers know when and how to get help from the Lagos State Ambulance Service, the Nigeria Police, and how to administer First Aid when injuries are sustained in a Road Traffic Accident.
Proper handling of “Lost & Found” belongings of passengers. In Japan, forgotten items are almost always returned to the owner. There is a strong cultural belief in Japan that doing otherwise will lead to bad luck for the Driver who finds it (or a large dose of Negative Karma).

Keeping track of how much money is earned from Membership Dues, Daily Ticket Issuance, and so on, is the first step toward helping the Government to obtain Tax Revenue from the NURTW. If there are no longer any Fake Tickets or Fake Receipts in circulation, a possible source of ‘Financial Leakage’ would have been stopped.
Issuance of proper Identity Cards to all NURTW Members, Agents, Servants, and Privies, especially their ticketing officers.
Gradually introduction of a Policy of Non-Partisanship among Leaders as well as Members of NURTW. This can be done by reminding them of the consequences, which may include premature death.
When more NURTW Members become Literate, the next step of Financial Inclusion may be pursued. Replacing their vehicle fleet with assistance from Banks, as well as the Government will then be much easier.
Decent dressing among Members should be encouraged. So also should orderly conduct and less resort to violence in resolving disagreements.
Keeping vehicles clean should be made a priority as well as keeping a Litter Bin for the use of commuters. Passengers should be politely discouraged from throwing unwanted materials out of the vehicle window.
The importance of keeping a vehicle ‘Road Worthy’ should be impressed upon NURTW Members. It is not just a piece of paper that you “settle” Officials for in order to present at Check Points mounted by Traffic Management Agencies.
So also safety Gadgets like Air Bags, Seat Belts, Fire Extinguishers, and so on should be properly maintained and utilized in commercial vehicles.
There should be an Information Desk and/or Information Officer at major Bus Termini, Motor Parks, and Garages, to properly guide commuters and travellers.
The NURTW should have a List of Lawyers that will ‘sort out’ their Members when they get into trouble. There should also be a common (welfare) purse for those who cannot afford Legal Fees.
Members should be encouraged to take Insurance Cover for themselves, in the event of incapacitation or premature death in the course of duty. This is apart from normal vehicle Insurance Policies.

The points made in this contribution are not meant to be an exhaustive list. It is however hoped that they will be a guide to some priority areas, which deserve close attention by the Committee. Oftentimes, a Committee is given ‘Terms of Reference’ [i.e. “T.O.R.”] to work with.

Long Live The Federal Republic Of Nigeria; May God Continue To Grant Wisdom To Our Leaders; God Bless Governor Sanwo Olu Of Lagos State.

Written By: –
Engr. Afolabi O. Adedeji, FNSE
Afolabi Adedeji & Associates [‘AA&A’]
(Consulting & Training in Facilities Management, Etc.)
Victoria Island, Lagos