Dangote Group has continued to devise various means to rid the company of unscrupulous drivers who engaged in illegal haulage activities and others who constituted themselves into menace to other road users.
The group, in a renewed effort to rid of unscrupulous drivers who engaged in illegal haulage activities and others who constituted themselves into menace to other road users, the company's drivers' Patrol team, has made several arrests of drivers, and handed them over to relevant authorities.
Illegal transportation means removal or shifting or transfer or transport of any mineral by any means of transport otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of the Act and/or these rules.
Dangote's management, it would be recalled, recently solicited the help of members of the public to assist in apprehending those truck drivers who are engaging in illegal haulage activities.
Then, the company had announced a mouth-watering monetary reward for any member of the public who offered information that would lead to the arrest of such lawless persons by the law enforcement agents.
In 2018, the management disclosed that a sum of N250,000 would be given as reward for any persons who help in tracking unscrupulous drivers and confiscation of the illegal goods.
Dangote Industries Limited also warned those who illegally transport materials on Dangote trucks that such unauthorised goods shall be confiscated and such drivers and owners would face the full extent of the law.
Among several others, the team, recently in the North Central Zone of the country arrested both a driver and his truck carrying fully loaded illegal haulage of timber and handed them over to the Police.
The driver was subsequently charged to a Magistrate Court in Akwanga, Nasarawa State for criminal breach of trust where he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four months incarceration in a correctional center. While the presiding Magistrate ordered that the truck and load be released to the company and owner respectively, he advised the company to file a civil case against the owner of the goods.
Also, in the South-West region, the Patrol team noticed a third party truck, with Dangote logo on it, parked inside a private company yard in Ode Remo, Ogun state, recently, while offloading granite stone. The team reported the case at Ode Remo police station and got both the driver and the truck arrested. The driver has also been charged to court.
The Dangote drivers' Patrol team has made several more arrests and handed the offending drivers to Police and other relevant authorities for prosecution.
Dangote Management has therefore renewed the warnings to those who illegally transport materials on Dangote trucks, and asserted that such unauthorised goods shall be confiscated while such drivers and owners would face the full extent of the law.
In a statement issued by the Dangote Industries Limited and signed by its Group Chief Branding & Communications Officer, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, the company said "The Management of Dangote Industries Limited wishes to solicit the assistance of the general public in the fight to rid the organisation of illegal haulage activities being perpetrated by some unscrupulous persons."
To clarify its position, the management went on to list its products and goods which its over 10,000 trucks operating across the country and the neighbouring West African countries could convey.
It stated, "Dangote Trucks are permitted to transport only the following materials: Dangote Cement Plc - Dangote Cement, Limestone, High Grade Gypsum and Coal; Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc- Dangote Sugar; NASCON Allied Industries Plc - Dangote Salt & DanQ Seasoning; and Dangote Packaging Limited - Bags."
"We hereby alert the public to report any suspected Dangote Truck driver involved in illegal haulage supported with credible evidence of such act," the statement added.
While the Police and other law enforcement agents have been authorised to arrest any Dangote Truck driver and vehicle involved in any such illegal act, the company's management also urged members of the public to also assist in this drive for the common good.
Also, its Cement subsidiary, Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese ensured road safety awareness campaign as well as provision of road safety kits to motorists and commercial motorcyclists to help ensure accident-free road transportation.
Also, the company, as parts of its efforts at ensuring accident-free trucking disclosed that it has partnered the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to help in the recruitment, training and monitoring of its drivers.
Speaking during the awareness campaign last year, the Dangote Cement, Ibese Pant director, Mr. Azad Nawabuddin explained that beyond reduction of road crashes, the company was targeting zero accident especially during festive periods when the roads are usually congested.
Explaining the theme for the Campaign, 'Use Road Like Person Wey Sabi', the Dangote plant director noted that the message of being considerate while using the road is directed at its truck drivers, the commercial motorcyclists and drivers of light vehicles operating in and around the Plant, as well as other members of its communities.
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He said, "I therefore enjoin all these actors on our roads who are well represented here today to learn and imbibe necessary tips to improve their use of the road in a professional manner and help cascade the safety messages to their colleagues hereafter.
"We, as government, corporate organisations, communities and individuals must all join hands and play our part in ensuring safety on our roads because safety is a collective responsibility.
"We had taken the road safety campaign to our neighbouring communities via road shows coordinated by FRSC and our employee Volunteers in recognition of the communities as our key stakeholders and partners. I am glad that the messages were well received, and it is our hope this will drive some attitudinal change in the way we use the road."
Dangote Industries Limited is a diversified and fully integrated conglomerate with an annual group turnover in excess of $4 billion (2016) with vibrant operations in Nigeria and Africa across a wide range of sectors including cement, sugar, salt, condiments, packaging, energy, port operations, fertiliser, and petrochemicals.
