The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Ogun State has expressed concern over quality of the locally produced tyres, saying the fairly used ones imported from abroad, popularly called tokunbo, are better off.
The body particularly tackled the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) for not “doing enough” to address “production of low quality tyres in Nigeria.”
The State Chairman, Titilayo Akibu (Efele), said this during sensitization of its members by operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Abeokuta.
Akibu, represented by the association’s Secretary, Tiwalade Akingbade, said despite buying locally produced tyres at exorbitant prices, they are of low quality and not reliable.
He expressed the association’s readiness to collaborate with the FRSC on the need to tame road accidents, but he insisted that the menace of low quality tyres must be addressed by the regulatory bodies.
“With this issue of standardization of spare parts, we don’t know what the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is doing. These foreign used tyres are more reliable, and we have been saying this for long, but nobody has explained what is happening.
“You will buy a newly manufactured tyre in Nigeria at an outrageous price, yet it is not good. It is sad because this money is not easy to get. You know that prices of spare parts have been increased due to the hike in fuel price.
“We can’t do anything but to speak up to the agency. They should come to our rescue, these tyres are not reliable even for pleasure cars, let alone commercial vehicles.
“What are the measures in place before they can be allowed to produce tyres? Most of the newly produced tyres are refurbished, they are tyres that have been condemned, and this is hitting us deep,” he said.
Earlier, the State FRSC Deputy Corps Commander in charge of operations, Adelaja Ogungbemi, noted that the sensitization was aimed at reminding drivers of some rules and regulations that must be strictly adhered to to save lives while driving.
Ogungbemi asserted that safety on the road is the responsibility of all, urging drivers to do all they can to protect the lives of the passengers by avoiding overloading, excessive speed, drinking when driving and the use of fairly used tyres.
Meanwhile, members of the transport association have endorsed Akibu for a second term in office as the state chairman.
The motion moved by the state’s first vice chairman, Monsuru Owookade, and seconded by Adeyemi Adeleye, the state’s publicity secretary, attracted overwhelming support of the members.
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