Nigeria: Lafarge Africa launches logistics academy for truck drivers

Lafarge Africa Plc has established a logistics academy for truck drivers in an attempt to lower the level of reckless driving in Nigeria. According to the company the academy will educate drivers on the fundamentals of safety and fleet management.

Michael Puchercos, group managing director, explained that the academy follows up on a road safety project also established by the company to ensure good performance from its drivers. On behalf of Mr Puchercos, Fidelia Osime, director of organisation and human resources, said “Road transport safety is one of the focusses of Lafarge Africa's health and safety improvement plan in realisation that moving our products and materials on the road steps without accidents or incidents, is a major challenge.

"To address this, we have come up with a structured process of assessing our transporters, using tools such as GPS to monitor trucks, rewarding and applying consequences to driver behavior, while partnering with our transporters to have good maintenance and systems in place through drivers training and the Logistics Academy."

Adegoke Adetunji, sector commander of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) pledged the federal government to support the scheme.