The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) on Tuesday commended the Federal Government for lifting interstate travel ban imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The Federal Government on Monday announced the lifting of restriction on interstate travel imposed since May 4, five weeks after total lockdown, in some states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to combat the pandemic.
The transport union had on Sunday appealed to the Federal Government to review the ban on interstate travel, saying the sufferings of affected transport operators was becoming unbearable.
Commending the Federal Government, Alhaji Abdulrahman Amusan, the National Publicity Secretary of RTEAN, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the gesture had shown that the government listened and felt their plights.
According to him, the interstate transport operators whose source of livelihood had long been paralysed by the lockdown and the ban are jubilating and rejoicing with the new development.
“We thank the Federal Government most sincerely for this development. We commend the government for not forgetting or abandoning the affected operators whose businesses and sources of livelihood have been paralysed.
“This review is the best thing. Now, our suffering members are happy and rejoicing over this because it will end several weeks of hardship and sufferings. We are grateful.
“Again, we have lectured and admonished our members to strictly adherence to all the COVID-19 prevention guidelines and protocols because all the government efforts are for our safety,” Amusan said.
According to him, the union is in total support of the efforts of the government in combating the coronavirus and will continue to support the government in all its policies and programmes.
Amusan, also the Secretary of the union in Lagos State, said that many drivers and conductors would have food on their tables with the development.
He added that everyone could imagine the sufferings of drivers and conductors who did not have any other source of livelihood apart from state to state, city to city transportation without any assistance from the government in the last three months.
He gave an assurance that the union was ready to obey all the guidelines and protocols.
