Ogbeifun’s Diverse Autocare Centre partners Edo State traffic agency to train 130 drivers

Diverse Autocare Centre in partnership with the Edo State Traffic Control and Management Agency ((EDSTMA) has begun an intensive training workshop for 130 drivers in the state civil service as part of efforts to improve their efficiency and avoid road crashes.

Speaking during the training programme, which kicked off in Benin on Monday, Chairman, Diverse Autocare Centre, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun said the training was organised to help the Edo State government upgrade the quality and standard of driving in the state following the realisation that most of the State civil service drivers have not been trained over the years.

“The lives of people are in the hands of drivers. It became particularly necessary when we began to realise that in the State government pool of drivers, there has been no articulated capacity building over time. So, you find out that there are drivers who have been working in the system for 10 to 15 years, but they have never had any form of training.

“As you know, life is dynamic. The type of vehicles that were being driven 10 to 15 years ago are different from the vehicles that they have to drive. So there has been the need to constantly build capacity in these people.

“10 years ago, the population density in most of our cities was much less than what it is now so the hazards of driving on the road with the increased population density is obvious and it becomes necessary to now equip these people to be able to ramp up their defensive driving to cope with it,” he said.

Ogbeifun who is also the Chairman of Starzs Investment Company Limited and Starzs Marine & Engineering Company, Nigeria’s foremost indigenous maritime logistics company and shipyard respectively added that the drivers would also be trained on vehicle maintenance to help prolong the lifespan of vehicles.

He noted that while the training is starting with drivers in the civil service, the facility is also open to the general public.

He expressed optimism that the partnership between Diverse Autocare and Edo State Traffic Management Agency would produce among the best drivers in the country.

“The durability of your vehicle is also dependent on how your drivers handle your vehicle. So, these are some of the things we are going to teach them- maintenance of the vehicles that they drive. At the end of the day, they will be issued certificates of proficiency which they can take anywhere and present that will distinguish them from the general drivers.

“We are starting with government drivers but the facility is open to the public as well. We believe that with the partnership with Diverse Autocare Centre and Edo State Traffic Management Agency with the kind of facility that is here, we should be able to produce among the best drivers in this country,” he said.

Permanent Secretary, Directorate of Establishment, Training and Manpower Services, Mrs Felicia Edwards, said the training is being organised in view of the Edo state government transformation policy on training and retraining of staff.

The training according to her will include an eye vision test, defensive driving techniques, road signs, right of way, driving dynamics, driving under adverse conditions, security awareness in driving, improving communication skill, over taking procedures in driving, tyre safety and driver’s fatigue as well as vehicle care and maintenance.

“The three weeks intensive capacity building for drivers in the civil service has been designed to update and refresh staff skills and knowledge considering their key functions to bring about effective and efficient service delivery in the service.

“I enjoined all participants to conduct themselves in a civil manner throughout the period of the training and to pay close attention to the lecture as you will be acquiring live saving skills among other skills that are geared towards improving performance at work,” she said.

Managing Director, Edo State Traffic Control and Management Agency Dennis Oloriegbe, while stressing the need for regular training of drivers said the workshop will equip the participants to be professional drivers and add value to civil service.

“Drivers drive the economy of the country. If you want to destroy the economy very fast, you can use the driver to destroy it.

“The driver who you did not place value on is holding the economy of the company. That is why driver training is very important. We are going to train you on how you can sustain and add value to civil service. This is the first time we are doing this so you can become better and professional drivers,” he told the participants.

Diverse Autocare Centre located in Benin City is fast gaining a reputation as the best automobile workshop in the South-South region with multimillion naira investment in sophisticated modern equipment offering emergency repairs, preventive maintenance and engine diagnostics and repairs among others for vehicles.