By Ovie Okpare
Nigeria’s rapidly growing indigenous and integrated oil marketing and trading company, Matrix Energy Group, has trained 500 petroleum tanker drivers in Warri, Delta State.
The one-day safety training workshop with the theme; “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow”, is part of measures by the firm to promote safety and professionalism amongst its drivers.
The event also afforded the company the opportunity to honour some of its drivers for their professionalism and long service awards for their core loyalty to the company’s goal and vision in the nation’s oil and gas sector.
The workshop held at Ifiekporo community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State had in attendance members and representatives of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, Warri zone.
In his opening remark, Matrix Energy’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Loqman Salam-Alada, said the company places high premium on safety thus the continued training and retraining of its drivers.
Salam-Alada, represented by Matrix Energy’s Group Head Haulage, Mr. Rapheal Biu, disclosed that the firm has trained 400 of its drivers on safety and protection of its product in the past.
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He stated that the company’s desire is to organise similar training quarterly to strengthen safety and avoid incidents that could cause life and damage to its properties.
The Chief Operating Officer added that the company plans to upscale its current stations across the country from sixty to one hundred by the end of 2021.
Salam-Alada enjoined tankers drivers to strictly adhere to the revised highway codes of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to prevent casualty on the road.
Guest lecturer at the training, Engineer Felix Napkodia, told participants to shun intake of alcohol while driving, adding that the resultant effect of such behaviour is avoidable accident.
Engr. Napkodia, a certified safety trainer, warned drivers against excessive speeding on the highway, and enjoined that to respect the rights of other road users while carrying out their duties.
Aside alcohol, he further cushioned the trainees against driving with poor lights at night, mechanical fault, fatigue, boredom and overspeeding.
According to him,” They should know the dangers and avoid them correctly. Without life you can’t have time, without time you can’t make money and without money you can’t make property. So you see that all go together. So our drivers should be careful.
“When on the steering, don’t speed yourself to death. The truck drivers use undue advantage that they are driving truck. Reduce your speed to fit the prevailing condition of your vehicle.”
Also speaking, Matron of Matrix Energy Depot Clinic, Esoko Omawumi, advised drivers against driving under fatigue to avoid accidents on the highways.
Similarly, Vice chairman, Petroleum Tanker Drivers, Warri zone and chairman Petroleum tanker drivers Matrix Depot, Comrade Nosuru Ajayi admonished the Matrix truck drivers to cultivate good attitude and uphold high moral and professional disposition while driving.
While commending Matrix Energy Group for the workshop, comrade Ajayi charged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity to learn and share ideas towards becoming better truck drivers.
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The workshop also featured award and recognition of 15 drivers in various categories including long service and best driver awards to some of the participants.
Those who were awarded include; Best driver –Warri, Adamu Muhammed; Best driver Bitumen – Warri, Bulama Aliyu; Best LPG driver, Alhaji Muntari Adamu; Best performing Lagos, Taofeek Oyebamiji; Best driver Zaria, Tunde Oyewole; cleanest driver, Ibrahim Sanni Bello; Best Maintenance Driver, Alh. Nasiru Saleh and Best maintenance cultured, Alh. Yusuf Illiyasu.
Others are; Best journey management compliance driver, Shamsudeen Shehu; Best PPE compliance, Umar Abubakar; Best Behaved drivers, Segun Adeyanju and Salihu Aziz. While long service award was presented to Yisha Bashiru and Abdulrahim Muhammed, and special recognition award went to Mr. Mudashiru Taofeek, including the PTD Chairman, Matrix Energy, Comrade Yekini.
