Dangote Installs Cameras, Recertifies Drivers to Curb Road Crashes

 

By Efa Sunday 


Dangote Cement Plc has intensified its efforts to improve road safety by installing cameras across its fleet of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks and recertifying all its truck drivers at the company’s Obajana plant in Kogi State. The initiative, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), is part of the company’s zero-tolerance policy towards road accidents.


Speaking to journalists at the Obajana plant, the Head of Transport, Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Murilo Silva, said the company had introduced stricter entry requirements for aspiring drivers. According to him, applicants must be at least 23 years old, possess a valid Class G driver’s licence and have a minimum of five years of relevant driving experience. He explained that applicants are subjected to comprehensive medical examinations, drug testing, and thorough background checks.


“We are determined to achieve zero road crashes across our fleet,” Silva said. “The process is not just about hiring drivers; it is about ensuring that everyone who gets behind the wheel of our trucks is healthy, competent and responsible. Our monthly training programme participation has increased by 60 percent this year, drug and alcohol testing is up by 40 percent, and pre-trip inspections have risen by 74 percent. These are clear signs that our safety culture is taking root.”



Divisional Head of Transport at the Obajana plant, Mr. Hemant Rana, disclosed that the company had established a multi-million-naira Pre-Trip Inspection Bay, fully equipped with engineers and mechanics, to conduct thorough checks on trucks before they embark on journeys. He added that a Drivers Rest House had been built to ensure drivers rest adequately after long trips.


“We have developed a monitoring system that helps drivers do their jobs safely,” Rana said. “We also have Drivers Help Desk Units that follow up with drivers’ situations while on trips, and a Control Department that monitors drivers’ behaviour on the road.”


Manager of the Dangote Articulated Trucks Drivers Training School (DATDTS), Mr. Daniel Marcus Akuso, noted that the school, the first of its kind in Nigeria, works closely with the FRSC to deliver structured courses in Defensive Driving, Civic Education, Road Signs and Codes, Maintenance Technology and other essential areas to improve driver competence.


Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Arvind Pathak, said that over 1,500 truck drivers have already undergone intensive mental, psychological and physical screening to guarantee safe driving practices.


“Every driver employed by Dangote Cement goes through a rigorous process,” Pathak said. “This includes background verification, vision screening, blood pressure checks, BMI and blood sugar monitoring, as well as drug and alcohol testing. We are committed to not just compliance but the protection of lives on Nigerian roads.”


The FRSC has pledged continued support for the initiative, describing it as a vital step towards reducing the rate of road accidents involving heavy-duty trucks across the country.

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