In a bid to reduce the alarming rate of Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) in the country, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has pledged to leverage its social capital to promote proper road use habits at levels and thus add value to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) campaign to reduce RTCs 50% by the year 2020.
The NOA Director General, National Orientation Agency, Garba Abari disclosed this during a working visit to the FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi where both agreed to synergize for effective advocacy, education and enlightenment on road safety.
Abari noted that with the Agency’s continual sensitization and enlightenment campaigns on the dangers inherent in over speeding, reckless driving, overloading and driving under the influence of alcohol; the country will have safer roads with minimal road casualties, especially as the holiday season sets in. According to him “No country can make progress where constituted authorities are not respected. We must respect road traffic regulations in order to stay safe on our roads.”
Abari expressed delight with the digitalization of operations and robust data gathering capacity of FRSC, describing the Corps as “an institution prepared for 21st century operations”. He attributed the huge Information and Communication Technology (ICT) strength of FRSC to the foresight and purposeful leadership of the Corps Marshal in building the human and institutional capacity of FRSC.
FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi said efficient awareness and sensitization campaigns became necessary with the human factor, particularly speed limit violations, still largely responsible for Road Traffic Crashes in the country. He said “the more Nigerians who can drive safely on the road, the better the safety of Nigerians on the road in tandem with the United Nation’s drive to reduce road fatalities by 50% by the year 2020”.
The Corps Marshal further advocated compliance with the newly introduced speed limiter device which he said would be fully enforced by February 1, 2017 in the best interest of road users in the country. Oyeyemi disclosed that the FRSC was working towards establishing a Traffic Radio soon to deepen public road safety enlightenment on real time basis, adding that the Corps was also encouraging both Federal and State governments to mount appropriate road signs on all roads through its road signage productions.
He appealed for continual collaboration and partnership with NOA and other stakeholders in order to ensure that road users in the country become very enlightened on the best safety practices.