The Association of Professionals and Corporate Drivers of Nigeria (APCDN) has called on government, corporate and private bodies to improve on drivers’ welfare in their services.
The National Chairman of the Association of Professionals and Corporate Drivers of Nigeria (APCDN), Comrade Agbor Osim Nzie, who spoke with Cliffsimeon Akalonu, said that, “Our vision is to advocate for driver’s welfare packages, insurance, standard in professionalism, professional data basing to curb security threats and others in corporate and private sector. Drivers should be given the utmost priority and should be treated like humans as we have come to create standards”. The Association is a registered body under the laws of the Federation empowering it as a workers union.
According to the Chairman, “if a car and goods can be insured and the driver that is wheeling the duo is not insured, then it calls for a serious attention. If you must think of replacing a vehicle/goods after accident through insurance, you must also think of compensating a life after loss or incapacitation either partially or permanently”.
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He said the challenges rocking the Association presently is the non-attendance of drivers at meeting hours with the fear of being sacked by their employers and “that is why we have woken up to take control of drivers’ participation in the union”.
According to him, “it is also proper for their employers to release them for data-basing, meetings and seminars/training and retraining etc.”. He further said, the non-attendance of drivers to union activities is as a result of them being engaged on duty even on weekends and “that is why we have resolved to be hosting our meetings on Sundays”.
The Association, he added, has introduced a scout team that goes round to confirm details of drivers, meaning any driver who tenders false details of him/her self and organization, as a ploy to perpetrate crime will be apprehended and handed over to security agencies for prosecution.
To show that the Association has the corporate and private drivers at heart, the Chairman revealed that the association is looking forward to building a hospital that will see to the attention of road accidents victims/drivers “because most drivers have gone through a lot due to lack of quick medical attention thereby resulting to unwarranted loss of lives”.
