Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has attributed Nigeria’s measure of security and reduction in Maternal Mortality to the patriotic work done by the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
Governor Bagudu, who made the observation at the NURTW state delegate conference in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday, said that NURTW members are helping building the Nigerian economy, health and transport sectors.
“NURTW is a union of hardworking people that help strengthen our security in the country. The partnership the state government had with the Union on emergency transportation of pregnant women and children under five has contributed effectively to the decline of higher rate of mortality in the state,” he said.
Bagudu said the government would continue to partner with the Union in order to promote health and create job opportunities for youth in the state.
“We want youth and women to be included in the leadership of the Union. I observed that there is no female member in the Union, even though women contribute to the survival of the Union by opening restaurants in the motor parks and selling commodities that are basic to drivers and passengers in the parks,” he said.
The Governor urged Union members to be fair and trustworthy in dealings with passengers, enjoining them to adopt modern ways of conducting logistics service delivery.
Earlier, the National President of the Union, Prof. Ibikunle Tajudeen Baruwa,who was represented by Muhammad Yazeed, the Zonal National Secretary, urged the elected officials to demonstrate exemplary leadership, capacity and sacrifice.
“Both the leaders so elected and followers must strive through collaborative effort to convert the vast human and material resources at our disposal to lead this Union to an enviable position among unions in Nigeria,” he said.
Baruwa called on the Union’s newly elected officials to carry other members along and run an administration committed to fairness, equity and justice.
The newly elected state Chairman of the Union, Alhaji Abubakar Usman Bagudu, in his remarks, said the new state executive would carry all membes along, saying that “we are going to serve you with sense of patriotism, solidarity and appreciation, and will be just to all.”