Truckers, major players in road transport deserve recognition - NARTO

Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners said the road truckers are major players in the road transport subsector of the economy and deserve a proper recognition.

President of NARTO, Alhaji Lawal Othman, gave this indication in a statement, even as he expressed worry about image of transport operators in the country.

Othman, who was recently elected leader of the group along with other executive members, said, “I feel happy to be elected the president of the association. I am grateful to God. The leadership of the association has also not left the stakeholders.

“We are going to rejuvenate the association; we are going to rebrand the association and take it to higher level.”

Othman also expressed gratitude to members of the association for the confidence they had in him by electing him to lead the association.

He also promised to build on the legacies left behind by the former President of the association, Alhaji Ibrahim Bataiya.

He took over the leadership of NARTO from Bataiya, who led the association for eight years as a two-term president.

Until his election as the president of NARTO, Othman was the chairman, Kaduna State Chapter of the association.

Other newly elected executive members of the group are Chief Ayoola Sadiku as the 1st deputy president of the association; Oke Okpala, 2nd deputy president; Rabiu Haruna, vice president for wet cargo, while Sidi Abubakar was elected vice president for dry cargo, and Mudi Ibrahim emerged vice president, commuters.

A former Chairman, South-West Zone of the association, Alhaji Ganiyu Salami, was elected as the national financial secretary; and former Zonal Chairman, North-East, Alhaji Alkali Hassan, was elected the national treasurer.

Other elected national officers of the association are Emmanuel Wilson, public relation officer; Chime Ezeokoye, welfare officer; Musa Audu, legal adviser; and Bashir Bello, national auditor.

The association also elected a number of zonal chairmen including Alhaji Bola Ogunyele for the South-West; Haruna Kalo, North-Central and Mukhari Shafa, North-East.

Others are Sani Danfulani, North-West; Sunday Nwata, South-East; and David Ewere, South-South.