The Dangote Cement Plc, a Transport business, has increased the enrollment of female truck drivers into the Dangote Articulated Truck Driving School, and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) gave the school a thumbs-up for its rigorous compliance with road usage guidelines.
The Dangote Articulated Truck Driving Academy in Obajana, Kogi State, is the first of its kind in Nigeria’s transport sector, as the leading cement business promotes safe driving among its drivers and third-party drivers.
Divisional Director Transport, Mr Ajay Singh, said the academy has registered 50 new student drivers, 10 of them female, in the 2023 Batch A session.
Mr Singh stated the FRSC and Fantique Driver Training Centre of South Africa are collaborating on the intensive training.
He said female drivers are more diligent and won most of the prizes in the company’s last assessment.
Mr. Daniel Marcus Akuso, the school manager, noted that the school teaches Civic Education, English, Mathematics, Defensive Driving, Truck Handling, Maintenance Technology, DCT Administration Procedures, Root Cause Analysis, Health and Science, Road Signs and Codes.
Engr Mukhtar Umar, deputy Road Commandant (OC Instructor) of the FRSC attached to Dangote Driving School, said his agency trains and certifies veteran and new drivers.
Engr. Umar stated they learned defensive driving, road signs, driver responsibilities, and driving culture before becoming certified.
While Victoria, 30, an economics graduate and trainee, said she felt lucky to be chosen for the programme. Another 35-year-old Katsina trainee claimed it was a dream come true.
The driving school enabled Fatima Haruna Adamu, 27, to accomplish her dream of joining the army: “I believe anything a man can do, a woman can do too.”
Professor Idris Bugaje, executive secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), praised Dangote Cement for establishing the Articulated Trucks Driving School, saying it will promote road safety.
He also said that the NBTE was collaborating with Dangote Cement Plc on the school’s agenda to benefit society.
Recall that Dangote Cement has been partnering with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on practical training and lectures on safe driving in all of its cement plants with special programmes involving road shows to sensitise drivers, Okada riders, and other road users in their immediate communities on how to use the road safely to avoid accidents.
