…expresses dedication to absolute safer roads coverage
Management of Dangote Cement Plc (DCP) has expressed its irrevocable dedication to coaching and fixed retraining of its truck drivers to advertise operational effectivity and protected driving throughout Nigeria.
Speaking throughout its 2025 Annual Drivers’ Retreat themed, Dangote Cement’s Group Managing Director, Arvind Pathak emphasised that as a number one cement producer with hundreds of vehicles in its fleet, security on the street stays the corporate’s core mandate. He stated the essence of the yearly coaching is to remind the drivers of the core values of the model and be sure that they’re all dedicated to the Absolute Safer Road Policy of the Group.
The coaching train for the drivers in DCP Ibese Plant passed off in Ilaro space of Ogun State, with over 900 drivers in attendance. Another intensive re-training train for extra drivers has been scheduled to happen in Obajana, Kogi State subsequent week.
The Dangote Cement boss reaffirmed the Company’s dedication to street security, transparency, acceptable moral conduct, and provision of detailed readability on the great methods and procedures to mitigate towards any incident alongside roads throughout the nation.
Mr. Pathak stated Dangote was a accountable organisation that persistently cooperates with the Nigeria Police and different related authorities within the investigation of reported incidents with help of all lawful processes, geared toward establishing the details and routinely implement suggestions that strengthen public security.
He defined that that each driver employed by Dangote Cement is required to endure an intensive and rigorously structured recruitment course of that features Valid Driver’s license class G, background verification of each the driving force and their guarantors, complete medical analysis, together with imaginative and prescient screening (eye check), blood stress checks, physique mass index (BMI), random blood sugar (RBS) check in addition to drug and alcohol testing.
“Other recruitment screening covers usage within a three-month detection window, ensuring identifying any history of substance use before employment, completion of a two-week intensive training programme, which consists of twelve safety modules, practical driving assessments, and written examinations”, the Cement GMD said.
According to him, “In the previous two months alone, over 2,000 potential drivers have efficiently accomplished this course of. Only those that meet all required requirements had been engaged and authorized to function any Dangote Group autos. Our dedication to security extends past recruitment. All drivers endure necessary pre-trip medical assessments, carried out by licensed nurses and medical doctors.
“These include regular checks on blood pressure, vision, and overall fitness, ensuring drivers are physically and mentally fit to operate safely. To enforce compliance with our zero-tolerance policy on substance use, random drug tests are conducted routinely across our operations.”
Mr. Pathak said that Dangote Cement would proceed to collaborate with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and different regulatory companies to make sure that all coaching, compliance, and operational processes usually are not solely standardised but in addition constantly improved, including that these authorities are additionally actively concerned in monitoring and analysis of their security practices.
He maintained that Dangote Cement stays totally dedicated to strengthening driver onboarding and coaching, implementing strict security and behavioural requirements, making use of punitive measures to curb errant driving, collaborating with authorities companies, regulators, and communities to enhance street security, making certain transparency, accountability, and compassion in all the pieces they do.
Also addressing the assembled drivers, the Group Chief, Health Safety Social and Environment Officer & Sustainability perform, Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Dr. James Adenuga careworn the significance of security protocols and famous that the method was not simply to coach the drivers on the implications however to constantly remind them of necessities of security guides.
Adenuga additional said that the common coaching was to coach them within the language they perceive and train them how the coaching issues to them. He gave insights on the measures put in place to make sure the appropriate people are recruited as drivers, saying a number of the {qualifications} for recruiting the drivers included minimal of secondary college certificates, means to talk English language with writing and studying abilities, freed from substance abuse, 2-5 years driving expertise, possession of Class-G drivers’ license, guarantors and rigorous coaching amongst different measures.
“We also partner Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to train and prepare them for professional driving so as to equip and give them the basics and fundamentals to prevent them for reckless driving. We equally have a process to give recognition and award to those that profess conduct and good behaved drivers among their peers,” he added.
Taking the drivers via some necessities for protected driving, a Road Safety Expert, Mr. Oje Ebhota defined that the selection of the subject for his paper centred on security driving habits for accident-free journeys.
Mr. Ebhota listed acts comparable to aggressiveness, impatient driving, use of cellphone whereas driving, taking alcoholic drink and disobedience to site visitors indicators, as negatives towards the tenet of protected driving.
He suggested the assembled drivers to take heed to harmful overtaking and to drive throughout the driving restrict of 60km per hour in order that they don’t veer off the street and trigger accidents that would have an effect on negatively different street customers.
According to him, “let me tell you all, drivers are the ambassadors of Dangote Group. Aside being ambassadors, you are also stakeholders that should be careful and consider other road users as important while on the road.”
