Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has called on road transport workers to strengthen intelligence sharing with security agencies and prevent criminal elements from exploiting the transport sector to perpetrate crime in the state.
The governor made the call while receiving members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Kogi State Council, at the Government House in Lokoja.
The Governor described the transport workers as critical partners in the state’s efforts to combat insecurity.
He urged members of the union to provide credible and timely information on suspicious movements and illegal activities, warning against allowing vehicles to be used for conveying arms, ammunition and other criminal elements in any part of the state.
Governor Ododo stressed that security remains a collective responsibility, commending the union for promoting discipline, resolving internal differences and supporting the development agenda of the administration.
He also acknowledged the contributions of transport workers to mobility, commerce and the overall development of the state’s economy, urging them to sustain legitimate means of livelihoods and resist any attempt by criminal elements to recruit them into unlawful activities.
The governor assured the leadership of the union that the state government would work with the NURTW to address the proposed renovation of its secretariat and provision of an official vehicle to aid activities of the union’s executive.
He further disclosed that a committee would be constituted to develop workable modalities for a soft-loan for vehicle empowerment scheme for interested members, ensuring that the intervention is properly structured and sustainable.
Earlier, the State Chairman of NURTW, Yahaya Ibrahim, commended Governor Ododo’s investments in road infrastructure and security, noting that improved highways had enhanced the safety of transport workers, passengers and traders.
He pledged the union’s continued support for the administration, describing NURTW as a disciplined grassroots organisation with the capacity to mobilise members and contribute to governance.
