Coronavirus: In Niger, NURTW wants professionals to handle thermometers at parks

News Agency Of Nigeria

July 2, 2020 5:43 PM

The union also wants the state government to sensitise the union on how to fumigate the motor parks and commercial vehicles to curtail the spread COVID-19.

Used for illustrative purpose: In Niger, NURTW wants professionals to handle thermometers at parks (Guardian)

The Niger Council of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has called on the state government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to assist it with professionals that will handle infrared thermometers at its various parks.

Alhaji Adamu Idris, the Secretary to the council, made the appeal during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Minna.

Idris said that the operators of the parks had put in place the other measures, such as hand sanitisers, and the wearing of face masks.

He, however, said that they did not know how to handle the infrared thermometers to test their members and passengers for temperature checks.

He also urged the state government to sensitise the union on how to fumigate the motor parks and commercial vehicles to curtail the spread COVID-19.

“We are professional drivers and not health personnel, so we want more clarification on how to fumigate our motor parks and commercial vehicles across the state to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Right now, we don’t have anybody to handle the infrared thermometers for temperature checks because we are not professionals in that area,” he said.

He said that the appeal was vital because the motor parks were shut down for over four months since the pandemic occurred.

On fares, the secretary said that inter-state transport fares had increased by about 30 per cent to meet the Federal Government’s directive on social distancing in the vehicles.

He explained that the fare from Minna to Abuja, now costs N1,300 from the previous N1,000.

He said that any driver (member) caught violating the COVID-19 rules and regulations would be suspended.

“The union has over 4,700 members in the 48 local government motor parks and over 48 private motor parks across the 25 local government areas of the state.”

News Agency Of Nigeria