Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has launched a series of interventions aimed at promoting the health, safety, and sustainability of truck operators in Lagos State.
The initiatives include free eye screening, substance abuse sensitisation, and drug testing programmes, as well as access to CNG trucks for operators in partnership with the United Bank of Africa (UBA).
Sanwo-Olu, represented at a maiden edition of stakeholders engagement in Ikeja on Wednesday, Sola Giwa, his aide on transportation, stated that the engagement was designed to promote safety, welfare, and sustainability within the haulage and freight ecosystem.
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According to him, the forum provided an essential platform for government, regulators, unions, and private operators to address sectoral challenges, strengthen compliance, and collectively shape the future of maritime logistics.
The governor urged truck operators to take advantage of the partnership with UBA to acquire brand new CNG trucks through well-structured credit facilities, emphasising the importance of safety and environmental responsibility.
Oluwaseun Osiyemi, the state Commissioner for Transportation, said that these initiatives reflected the administration’s commitment to improving truck operators’ welfare and reducing avoidable accidents. He described the CNG transition as “a bold step toward a greener future,” reinforcing the government’s resolve to pursue sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Kayode Opeifa, managing director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, implored stakeholders to embrace the intervention, lest their business face obsolescence, adding that the initiative will correct prevailing deficiencies in the maritime logistics industry.
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Also speaking, Yusuf Othman, president, National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), applauded the state government for the initiative and assured the commitment of operators to leverage the opportunities provided to enhance economic contribution while supporting the transition to CNG for a cleaner environment.
Ernest Omoreghe, regional manager of the United Bank for Africa, affirmed the bank’s readiness to partner with the Lagos State Government and NARTO through a N150 billion financing window, to be disbursed in three phases, enabling operators to renew their fleets with modern, safer and climate-friendly vehicles.
