From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Minister of Women Affairs Pauline Tallen has told the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) that gender-based violence in motor parks would not be condoned.
Tallen, who spoke at RTEAN 10th National Delegates Conference in Abuja, advised the leadership of the body to drum the warnings in to the ears of its members.
She said: “I want to charge you further to constantly enlighten your members on their issues bothering on gender-based violence which, we often witness in the motor parks.
“When I sometimes visit parks in company of family, I still see young children; boys and girls hawking when they should be in school.
“Yet, your members turn blind eyes to such scenarios. In some cases, these children becomes victims of exploitation and abuse. And because they are powerless, they have no voice and are afraid to report and so the cycle of abuse continues. Even women have reported such abuses in the Parks.”
RTEAN President Musa Muhammed Maitakobi thanked his members of re-electing him, and said the association had done well in providing welfare for its members since he assumed office.
He said: “But we need to do more, especially when the country graduate a lot of youth that has no work to do, we have the provision for them in the transport sector with the support of both the government and private sector of the economy as well as the international community.
“I want to call the attention of government especially the state government that transport is one of the helping hand in creating employment to our teaming unemployed youth in the country, let us come together and get a solution for a better productivity, security as well as reforming the transport sector to go with the Digital era.”
Also, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dauda Biu, warned motorists against night journey which he said had contributed to the high rate of road crashes.
Represented by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Bisi Kazeem, he stated: “Our relationship with RTEAN has been a cordial one especially under the administration of the current executive president.
“It is one of the most organised trade Union. Last week, we call the unions to our office to let them know that there have been an upsurge of crashes. This is mainly due to night journey.
“We want beg you to reduce night journey. Also speed is another factor. We want you to buy speed limit. Also another issue is overloading. Please desist from this.”