Job Osazuwa
As accidents continue to occur on major and inner roads across Nigeria, some stakeholders in the transportation industry have recommended the need for regular vehicle maintenance to halt the unhealthy development.
They believe that some of the crashes recorded were due to ignorance, and in some instances, sheer negligence; hence, called on drivers, businessmen and companies to have a re-orientation for the benefit of all road users.
At the annual vehicle maintenance camp, which was hosted by Tata Africa Services Nigeria Limited in Lagos, the Managing Director of a haulage and logistics company, A and A Global Leasing Services, Mrs. Oluwaseye Yomi-Sholoye said that she has been in the forefront of championing campaigns to drive only vehicles that are fit for the road.
She said that it doesn’t matter whether a journey is long or short, vehicles must be in perfect working condition to avoid the untoward from occurring. She added that there were benefits accruing to periodic vehicle checks and services be it for commercial or private use.
She stressed that maintenance culture was essential not only for profit maximisation purpose, but for the safety of lives and property.
“From our many years of experience in the haulage business, if your vehicle is routinely maintained, there will be positive multiplying spiral effects. You will save huge running cost; accidents will be avoided; and you will increase the lifespan of the asset. It is an asset because some vehicles are worth over thirty million naira. Above all, you will be able to meet your deadline and satisfy your clients because there won’t be time wasted on vehicle breakdown on the road.
“After sales service is actually more important than the sales of the vehicle. Unfortunately, this area is often neglected by many vehicle owners. Some people believe that once a vehicle is still moving or the sound is pleasant to the ear, then there is no need for it to be serviced.
“In our company, we don’t joke with routine maintenance and that is why we are part of this programme. We are happy that Tata is doing this, especially as it encourages clients to replace faulty vehicle parts by giving different discounts,” she said.
Yomi-Sholoye decried potholes and gullies that dot Nigeria roads. She lamented that bad roads increases cost of maintenance, which indirectly affect everyone in the chain of transportation business.
She appealed to the federal and state governments to fix roads that have totally collapsed, which have been giving motorists and commuters continuous nightmare. She said that government was already addressing some bad roads within the state, but urged the Federal Government to extend same gesture to the highways.
A transporter, who attended the event, Mr. Ayodele Adegbite, agreed with Yomi-Sholoye and others that that habitual repairs of vehicles ward off a lot of dangers on the road, as well as paving the way for economic gains.
He added that it cheaper to maintain vehicles when the operators are proactive.