Physical distancing: Reduce fuel price, NURTW appeals to FG

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW)  has called on the Federal Government to intervene in reducing the pump price of fuel in order to enable transporters to cope with the physical distancing order due to COVID-19.

Mr Lawal Ibrahim, the Secretary of the Ibadan Unit of NURTW in Ilorin, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.

He said the reduction would further enhance compliance with the government’s order on  50 per cent passenger capacity for public transportation.

Ibrahim said while all safety protocols rolled out by the government were being strictly adhered to by the union in order to curb the spread of COVID-19, the government needed to equally look into the plight of commercial transporters.

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He said the directive on the use of face masks, hand sanitizer, hand washing and fumigation of parks had been carried out to ensure general safety.

The secretary, however, said that government’s directive on only 50 per cent capacity for passengers was impacting negatively on revenue inflow for transporters.

”The percentage of passengers allowed by the government is not profitable for commercial transport business.

” This has forced us to increase transport fares to meet some necessary demands.

“We run this transport business on profit. It is from our profits and dues that the union is able to fumigate the parks, provide hand sanitisers and other required items laid out in protocols.

“We understand the situation we are in, but we want the government to come to our aid or else our business will collapse.

“We want the fuel pump price to be reduced as we are not carrying enough passengers as yet,” he said.

NAN recalls that the Federal Government had lifted the ban on interstate movement on July 1. (NAN)