Firdaus Obiremi
Members of the Ogun State chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria have received certificates in conflict resolution after completing a three-day training programme organised in collaboration with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
The programme, facilitated by FUNAAB’s Institute of Communication and General Studies under its Peace and Development Studies Programme, was designed to equip transport operators with skills to manage disputes, improve relationships with passengers and promote peaceful interactions within the transport sector.
Twenty RTEAN members participated in the maiden training programme, with the association disclosing that more than 20 additional members had expressed interest in subsequent sessions.
The certificates were presented to the beneficiaries by the state chairman of RTEAN, Alhaji Akibu Titilayo Efele, who was represented by his deputy, Otunba Segun Johnson, during a meeting at the association’s secretariat in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
Speaking with journalists after the presentation, the state secretary of RTEAN, Tiwalade Akingbade, said the training was introduced to improve members’ capacity to resolve disagreements, manage their businesses and maintain cordial relationships with passengers and other road users.
Akingbade noted that transport operators interacted daily with people from different backgrounds, making conflict management an essential skill for their professional responsibilities.
He said the training would also help members manage their drivers and other employees more effectively.
“As transporters, the way people see us in society is that we are the difficult ones to deal with. And you know, we deal with many people. We deal with many passengers,” he said.
Explaining the motivation behind the initiative, Akingbade added, “We are employers. We own vehicles. We have many vehicles that are working for us. We have drivers that we should manage. So, that is the reason we went for the course.”
He described the training as beneficial, praising FUNAAB for making the lessons accessible to participants and delivering the instruction in a manner they could easily understand.
According to him, the programme also provided opportunities for participants to advance their knowledge through higher qualifications, including an advanced certificate and a diploma in conflict resolution.
Akingbade disclosed that the success of the first batch had encouraged other members to enrol for subsequent training sessions.
“The 20 participants are the first version, and so far, so good. We have some intended students. The people that are on the waiting list, there are more than 20 that want to go for the programme because the people that went for the programme told them what they gained there, and they were impressed,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Osioyemi Osinyemi Olasunkanmi, commended FUNAAB and the programme facilitators for providing the participants with practical knowledge that could improve their conduct and professional relationships.
Olasunkanmi said the experience had changed his perception of the university, demonstrating that members of transport unions could also benefit from structured academic programmes.
He expressed confidence that the participants would apply the knowledge acquired to their daily activities, describing them as ambassadors of the road transport sector who must demonstrate improved conduct in their dealings with the public.
Over 100 benefit from medical screening
In a related development, more than 100 people benefited from a medical screening exercise organised for RTEAN members at the association’s secretariat in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
The exercise featured blood pressure and blood sugar checks, with health professionals identifying participants who required medical attention and counselling others on preventive healthcare.
A medical officer with the Ogun State Ministry of Health, Dr Caleb Fashola, said the exercise had helped identify some participants with health concerns who were advised to seek further medical evaluation.
He explained that some of those examined had presented complaints that required medical attention, while others were counselled on the need to visit hospitals for further investigations.
“We have seen a lot of them so far, and some of them had complaints that we have attended to. It was as if this programme was designed for some of them because we have actually been able to pick one or two of them that had some disease, and we have counselled them appropriately,” he said.
Fashola added that participants requiring additional medical investigations had been advised to visit nearby hospitals as soon as possible.
He stressed that regular medical checks were particularly important for commercial drivers because sudden health emergencies behind the wheel could endanger passengers, pedestrians and other road users.
The doctor urged drivers to prioritise their health, undergo routine medical examinations and comply with medical advice to reduce the risk of emergencies while working.
He also recommended that transport associations organise periodic eye-screening exercises and make healthcare services available at motor parks and garages to encourage more drivers to participate.
Fashola further advised commercial drivers to avoid alcohol before driving, renew their driving licences when due, maintain their vehicles properly and comply with road safety regulations.
He called on other transport unions, including associations of commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators, to organise similar medical outreach programmes, noting that regular screening could help detect illnesses early and potentially save lives.
The twin initiatives underscore the importance of combining conflict management education with preventive healthcare to improve the conduct, welfare and safety of transport operators and the passengers who depend on their services.
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