FRSC warns drivers against overloading In fresh attempts to stop the spread of Ebola

• FRSC warns drivers against overloading
In fresh attempts to stop the spread of the
deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), the Nigeria
Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday barred
delegates from Liberia, Sierra Leone and
Guinea, countries the deadly disease is
ravaging.
Delegates from the states were to attend a
training workshop in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
capital. NLC president Abdulwaheed Omar
said only Ghanaian delegates were invited.
This is even as the Federal Road Safety
Commission (FRSC) warned commercial
drivers against overloading to prevent spread
of the disease. The measure is to reduce
body contact.
Speaking at the opening of the 2014 Rain
School training workshop
held at the
Workers’ Solidarity Centre in Uyo, Comrade
Omar said that only Ghana was invited for the
programme.
“Participants from trade union centre in
some countries in the West Africa sub-
region were initially billed to attend the
school, but due to the outbreak of the Ebola
virus pandemic, they were asked not to
bother,” he said.
According to him, the NLC wrote the
countries to stay away having earlier
extended invitations to them. “We asked
them to stay back because we don’t want to
scare the larger crowd. We also hope the
government and all the stakeholders in
medical profession and in the international
community will do their utmost best to
contain the spread of the disease so that the
human race will be spared the fear and
havoc associated with the spread of the
dreaded virus by finding cure for it.”
The NLC president, who expressed dismay
over the state of the country, said this year’s
Rain School, which was the 12th in the series
has the theme: “Inequality and Socio-Polical
Instability: Issues and challenges for the
working class,” which is expected to proffer
solutions to the myriad problems facing the
nation.
He lamented the current state of insecurity in
the country, saying it is the manifestation of
deep-rooted and structurally entrenched
crisis of development that creates the
environment for poverty, unemployment, and
inequality in the country.
Comrade Omar regretted that 15 years of
unbroken democracy, there is still little to
show as abuse of human rights, harassment
of the media, disruption of peaceful protests,
diminishing jobs were being witnessed daily.
He, however, advised the government to
make democracy more meaningful and
beneficial to the people.
Meanwhile, the Unit Commander of the FRSC
in Ile-Ife, Mr Richard Adetoro, who led
officers of the corps on an inspection of
vehicles plying Akure/Ilesa/Ile-Ife road said
drivers had been mandated to carry
maximum of three passengers henceforth as
a way of preventing the spread of Ebola.
Mr Adetoro, who said that the FRSC was
ready to collaborate with other agencies to
prevent the spread of the virus, noted that
the virus could be prevented by avoiding
overloading of passengers.
He said drivers plying the Akure/Ile-Ife road
had been sensitized on the dangers inherent
in overloading; adding that those who fail to
comply with the order would be sanctioned
henceforth.