LAGOS – The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) yesterday in Lagos urged Nigerians to adhere to traffic rules as safety measures to reduce the high rate of road accident.
Mrs Chiwendu Iwuoha, the FRSC Unit Commander, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos, made the appeal during a church service at SS Timothy and Titus Catholic Church, Isheri-Oshun, Lagos.
She called for attitudinal change by Nigerians in the usage of roads.
Iwuoha said that taking safety campaigns to churches and mosques were part of the strategic measures to meet the Corps’ 2015 target of reducing road accidents.
She said the irreparability of human lives made it compulsory for all Nigerians to take the issue of road safety serious and be ambassadors of the crusade.
“Nobody can pay for a life as no amount of compensation can bring back lives lost to road crashes.
“When you visit hospitals and mortuaries, you will see what disobedience to traffic rules has made many Nigerians to become.
“This issue calls for total commitment of everyone as road safety is a joint responsibility of all,” she said.
Iwuoha urged road users to desist from taking hard drugs, use of mobile phones while driving, neglecting use of seat belts and disobeying traffic signs.
“The use of drugs, mobile phones, failure to use seat belt, among others have become agents of death to many and have caused permanent disability to many too,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, has urged motorists to sustain peace and consider other road users during and Eater celebration.
In a message from the commission in Abuja yesterday, he noted that Easter was one of critical periods when there was always increase in human and vehicular traffic that posed challenges to the FRSC.
Oyeyemi said in anticipation of increase in traffic, the commission had deployed adequate men and provided necessary logistics at strategic locations across the country to address safety challenges.
“We just concluded the presidential election duties and in continuation of our statutory responsibility of ensuring safer road, especially for the Easter, we have deployed officers and vehicles at identified spots nationwide.
“Let me also use this opportunity to congratulate Christians and assure all Nigerians that FRSC will continue to work hard to ensure that the road remain safer throughout the period and beyond.
“Our call centre remains open to receive distress calls for prompt mobilisation of rescue operations while our road side clinics and zebra points nationwide have been put on alert,’’ he said.
Oyeyemi commended staff of the corps for their commitment during the presidential election as well as working with other security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He urged them to replicate the same performance during the forthcoming governorship elections.
FRSC
