The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Road Safety

  • Religious organisations and road safety education

    The World Health Organisation Reports revealed that about 1.4 million deaths and over 50 million injuries are attributed to road accidents every year globally with most of them occurring in African Countries (including Nigeria).

    Nigeria was recently ranked as the third country with the highest rate of accidents and fatalities among 193 countries and thereby declared one of the most dangerous countries to drive in the world.

    The above – mentioned status reports on Road Safety in Nigeria are worrisome and embarrassing thereby calling for drastic and down to earth proactive measures to effectively combat the menace.

    The death of a single person in a road accident has psychological, social, and economic effects on other road users, family members, Religious institutions, service providers, business organisation and governments.

    One of the effective proactive measures I want to encourage here is that all religious organisations should get more involved in road safety education in their assemblies.

    It has become more expedient now than ever for all Religious Organisations to be exposed to comprehensive education in Pedestrians safety, safe riding techniques, causes of road accidents and the rules for safe driving.

    Organising programmes on road safety on other days outside the regular worship time can never be as effective and well attended as having the lectures during the regular worship days. That is, religious organisations should have periodic lectures on road safety issues in place of the normal sermon (sermon – time in Churches, Mosques and other popular and well – attended religious gathering).

    Religious organisations must get more committed to reducing the number of widows, widowers, orphans and dependants through the reduction of the number of deaths and injuries on Nigerian roads by organising and supporting public education programmes on Road Safety in every part of Nigeria.

    The Federal Road Safety Commission and the Association of Driving Instructors of Nigeria (a coalition of driving schools in Nigeria) are willing and equipped to assist the religious organisations in providing quality road safety education to their congregation in any part of the country.

    We shall all give account of our actions and inactions concerning the prevention of deaths and injuries on Nigeria roads. A stitch in time saves nine.

  • Road safety education in secondary schools

    Road safety education in secondary schools

    Some years ago, road safety education was incorporated into the curriculum of secondary schools through the efforts of the Federal Road Safety Commission and some stakeholders. This is a good step in the right direction as it obtains in several countries. Be that as it may, why has it taken so long to implement this curriculum fully in schools?

    I want to use this forum to challenge the new Honourable Minister of Education to organise a stakeholders meeting involving all the state commissioners of education and other stakeholders to use the deep-dive prototyping approach to set the ball rolling for immediate result – oriented implementation of the road safety curriculum in all the public and private secondary schools in Nigeria.

    The Federal Road Safety Commission should package a training manual and a refresher training for the secondary school teachers (particularly the Physical and Health Education Teachers).

    Nigerian Students must start learning about Road Safety from JSS 1 and by the time they get to SSS 3, they already have the knowledge of the A – Z of road safety (all the topics contained in the curriculum). This will greatly help them as pedestrians, cyclists, vehicle occupants and as drivers later in the future. This is what obtains in UK and several other countries. Hence their low single digit between 3.2 – (3.6 per cent) of road accident rating in the face of Nigeria is high 2digit rating (33.7 per cent).

    The earlier the implementation of the secondary school road safety Curriculum commences, the better for the reduction of the rate of road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria both now and in the future.

    In the same vein, the Federal Road Safety Commission should liaise with the National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for colleges of education to work out the modality for the incorporation of Road Safety Education into the Curriculum of the tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

    When I was in the University of Lagos, we were compelled to study General African Studies Course as well as French (These Courses were mandatory for all students irrespective of your course of study in the university). Truly, these courses helped quite a number of students to know several things they wouldn’t have known.

    I am of the opinion that if road safety education is made a compulsory course in the first year of all students in the tertiary institutions, it will further instill the road safety culture in them and for onward transmission to others. We need to go beyond talking into proactive and result – oriented actions.

    A stitch in time saves nine.

     

  • Corruption and road safety in Nigeria

    According to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Corruption means “impairment of integrity, virtue or moral principle”. It also means “departure from what is correct”.

    From the above–mentioned definition of Corruption, it then means that the violation of any road traffic rule is an act Corruption. Therefore,

    • Obtaining Driver Licence without going to Driving School for training is Corruption.
    • Getting involved in Driving School certificate and Driver Licence racketeering is Corruption.
    • Bribing Government Officials to cut corners in Driver Licence and vehicle particulars processing is Corruption.
    • Paying or accepting money (bribe) to avoid the VIO’s pre – licence test is Corruption.
    • Employers refusing to re–train their Drivers on regular basis as the law demands is Corruption.
    • Damaging road or road furnitures without repairing it is Corruption.
    • Wrong parking of vehicles, causing obstruction or hindering free flow of traffic is Corruption.
    • Disobeying Traffic Wardenor Traffic Officer is Corruption.
    • Over-speeding is Corruption
    • Speeding at a bend is Corruption.
    • Wrong and dangerous overtaking is Corruption.
    • Driving off-lane is Corruption.
    • Driving without using seat belt is Corruption.
    • Drunk driving is Corruption.
    • Driving under the influence of Drugs is Corruption.
    • Violation of Traffic regulation is Corruption
    • Using mobile phone or engaging in any form of distraction while driving is Corruption.
    • Vehicle overloading (passengers or load) is Corruption.
    • Drowsy driving is Corruption.
    • Dangerous driving is Corruption.
    • Driving with underage children sitting at the front is Corruption.
    • Violation of Traffic light is Corruption.
    • Speeding on a wet or rough road is Corruption.
    • Driving un–roadworthy vehicle is Corruption.
    • Road rage and Aggressive driving is Corruption.
    • Illegal driving against the traffic is Corruption.
    • Using the siren when the law does not permit you is Corruption.

     

    • Driving without using the seat belt as required by the law is corruption.

    In a nutshell, the violation of any road traffic sign, marking, signal, rules and regulations is an act of Corruption. The above-mentioned facts are strongly supported by the Dictionary and Religious definitions.

    From the aforementioned, who is not Corrupt in Nigeria? Only very few I think! Hence the urgent need for a total mental overhauling and re–orientation for the restoration of the right moral values irrespective of the individual position or status.

    Nigeria must not continue like this. There must be a change at all levels and in all ramifications to be able to actualize the five pillars of the United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety.Each and every Nigerian must fight and defeat the corruption inside us. Then,there shall be no more corruption in Nigeria for the Government to fight.

    God will help us.

  • Tanker driver burnt to death in road mishap

    A tanker driver conveying petrol to an unknown destination was on Saturday burnt to death in a road mishap that occurred at the Ovia River head bridge along Benin-Ore-Lagos express road.

    Three vehicles including a heavy duty tow truck belonging to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were burnt.

    The fire was still on as at press 3.28pm on Saturday.

    Officials of the FRSC had to divert motorists going and returning from Lagos to link Benin City through Iguobazuwa road at Okada junction.

    Edo Sector Commander of the FRSC, Familoni Oluwasusi, said the fire occurred when the tanker fully loaded with fuel hit the tow truck used for clearing two previous accidents on the road.

    Familoni said the tanker driver lost control despite diversion and obstruction placed on the road to warn motorists that its officials were clearing vehicles involved in multiple accidents.

    He said a truck conveying diesel fell on the road on Friday evening and after it was partially cleared, two other vehicles had accident almost at the same spot.

    The Edo FRSC boss stated that it was in the process of clearing the vehicles that the tanker driver rammed into the two trucks and caused the fire.

    He said his men escaped with injuries but the tanker driver was not lucky.

    According to him, “His corpse is still burning and clearing of obstruction is ongoing. The injured has been taken to the hospital for treatment.

    “Patrol team blocked the road to remove a crashed truck when the trailer carrying fuel lost control and hit the FRSC two truck which resulted in fire outbreak,” he said.

  • Road Safety Officers’ wives’ scholarship scheme for reform

    Road Safety Officers’ wives’ scholarship scheme for reform

    Wives of Officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps under the auspices of Road Safety Officers’ Wives Association (ROSOWA) have expressed commitment to reforming their scholarship scheme.

    The reform would more children of deceased staff benefit from the gesture.

    ROSOWA’s president, Mrs. Bolanle Oyeyemi, said this during a courtesy visit to the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi, at the FRSC National Headquarters, Abuja.

    Mrs. Oyeyemi stated the association was working assiduously on establishment of a comprehensive health centre/pharmacy at Wole Soyinka Estate, Kuchikau for first aid/dispensary services to residents, most of whom are FRSC staff.

    She added that plans were on to set up civic centres at staff estates across the country to serve the social and recreational needs of members of FRSC families.

    She appealed to FRSC management to provide space for the association at the FRSC National Headquarters Abuja to set up a Crèche that could take care of infants of female staff who bring them to work.

    She pledged continued support of members of the association to the success of all the programmes being carried out by the FRSC.

    Corps Marshal Oyeyemi commended the Officers’ wives for their support to the FRSC.

    He assured them of the willingness of the FRSC management to render necessary support that could lead to the completion of some of the laudable projects they have identified and are embarking upon.

     

  • Road safety: Unemployment and terror attack victims’ funding

    Road safety: Unemployment and terror attack victims’ funding

    How tell me, how many jobs have been created as claimed by these Government Agencies? Where are the people the jobs were created for so that we can visit them to see if they were truly and genuinely empowered.

    The Honourable Minister for youth development recently announced that the Ministry has empowered about 10,000 (ten thousand) youths in the past 14 years. Is there anything to boast about in this record? Industrial Training Fund (ITF) that empowered over 40,000 (forty thousand) youths in less than 2 years is currently taking steps to improve on the record. Let someone ask the Honourable Minster how many youths have remained unemployed in the past 14 years in Nigeria?

    Secondly, what is the percentage of those they claimed to have empowered to the number of youths currently unemployed and underemployed in Nigeria? Nigeria Universities and other educational institutions churn out millions of youths annually to join this long list of unemployed and underemployed youths. What happened to the Dangote job creation committee’s blueprint?

    Whether we believe it or not, the terror attacks in Nigeria no matter the name it is called is a product of unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and an idle hand is a ready tool in the hands of the devil.

    My candid advice to the Federal Government, State Governments, Local Governments, Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Private Sector Organizations, Religious Organizations, Civil Society Organizations and High Networth Individuals in Nigeria is to join hands to set the priorities right and address the root cause of the problem of insurgency and allied vices in Nigeria. No matter the billions of naira spent on addressing the effects, it will make no meaningful impact until the root causes are objectively and effectively addressed once and for all.

    What is the Government doing about the increasing rate of drug addiction in Nigeria?

    What is the Government doing about ethnicism and religious discrimination even in the civil service system? Attention is shifting to Ebola virus again now.

    I hereby advice the Government to wake up and decisively deal with the Ebola of Road Infrastructure decay, Unemployment and Drug Addiction among others in Nigeria to avoid situations worse than terror attacks in the country.

    The fact still remains that the terror of today could have been avoided several years ago if the appropriate proactive actions have been taken.

    The Government at all levels need to be more proactive now than ever before. A stitch in time saves nine.

  • Conference, road safety and national development

    Conference, road safety and national development

    Why on earth should the Nigeria police officers leave their primary jobs to be helping state governments to arrest motorcycle riders or prosecute offenders of state government traffic laws, arresting drivers not using seat belt, looking for expired driver licence with little or no attention to the security of Nigerians in their domain if it is not for personal financial gains?

    Current and potential farmers have heard too much theories about how good and rewarding agriculture is but what stops the Federal Ministry of Agriculture from approving five model farmers in each state of the Federation, finance them, monitor them, create local and international markets for their produce so that the whole nation can see how truly profitable and rewarding farming is and how it’s used to generate employment by the model farmers. This demonstration will encourage other farmers and prospective farmers to courageously step into the terrain and enjoy the local and international markets already created and widened to accommodate more farmers and generate more benefits for job creation and growth of the economy.

    What is wrong if it is agreed that any vehicle with factory – fitted tinted glass must always have their windows down whenever they are moving on the road since the glasses cannot be replaced. Criminals are even the fastest to get police permission to use tinted glasses. What then are we talking about? A conference deliberation on effectively proffered solution to this problem.

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is boasting that their fertilisers are being distributed adequately to farmers but is anyone talking about the effects of the fertilisers on the health of the consumers of the produce of these Farmers?

    This year alone, road accident has killed far more than the number of people killed by Ebola all over the world from 1976 to October 2014, thereby making road accident far more deadly and calling for more attention than the dreaded Ebola Virus disease.

    If we are really sincere and committed to reducing the rate of road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Transport must be organising an Annual National Conference on Transportation and the resolutions must be taken seriously for implementation by the Federal, state and local governments, their agencies as well as other stakeholders concerned in the overall interest and development of Nigeria.

    The Federal Ministry of Power is saying that 4,500 megawatts of electricity will be available in Nigeria this year. But has the same ministry carried out a need – analysis to determine which Town or City in Nigeria needs more regular electricity to make sufficient impacts in manufacturing, production or service delivery that will make sig

  • Agency pledges more collaboration for road safety

    In furtherance of its zero tolerance for road crashes, the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), has pledged to collaborate with other traffic agencies in ensuring that roads, within the state are policed. The agency said traffic offenders would also be promptly punished especially during this ‘Ember’ months.

    The pledge was made by the TRACE’s Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone II, Ado-Odo/Ota, Commander Kunle Ajibade while speaking with The Nation in his office.

    He said the state more popularly known as the ‘Gateway State’ records heavy casualities especially along its borders with neighbouring states, due to the massive influx of vehicles on the roads.

    According to him before the creation of TRACE, Ogun State records high fatality rate, which attract to it the name; “mortuary state.”

    Ajibade said the coming on board of TRACE as a traffic compliance agency, in collaboration with other security/road traffic agencies, has  reduced accidents as it has organised several campaigns and workshops for drivers.

    The agency, he said, will not relent in its effort  to make Ogun State roads accident-free.

    He advised road users to maintain road discipline and obey traffic rules and regulations while on the wheels, adding that life has no duplicate and that whoever arrives safely is a good driver.

    He warned against driving under the influence of alcohol,  overloading, high speed, phoning while driving, all of which are major causes of crashes on the road.

    Ajibade said TRACE will continue to impound any vehicle found violating traffic laws.

    He praised the Ogun State government for embarking on the construction and renovation of several roads which, according to him, have reduced the number of crashes in the state.

  • Road safety: Unemployment and terror attack victims’ funding

    How tell me, how many jobs have been created as claimed by these Government Agencies? Where are the people the jobs were created for so that we can visit them to see if they were truly and genuinely empowered.

    The Honourable Minister for youth development recently announced that the Ministry has empowered about 10,000 (ten thousand) youths in the past 14 years. Is there anything to boast about in this record? Industrial Training Fund (ITF) that empowered over 40,000 (forty thousand) youths in less than 2 years is currently taking steps to improve on the record. Let someone ask the Honourable Minster how many youths have remained unemployed in the past 14 years in Nigeria?

    Secondly, what is the percentage of those they claimed to have empowered to the number of youths currently unemployed and underemployed in Nigeria? Nigeria Universities and other educational institutions churn out millions of youths annually to join this long list of unemployed and underemployed youths. What happened to the Dangote job creation committee’s blueprint?

    Whether we believe it or not, the terror attacks in Nigeria no matter the name it is called is a product of unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and an idle hand is a ready tool in the hands of the devil.

    My candid advice to the Federal Government, State Governments, Local Governments, Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Private Sector Organizations, Religious Organizations, Civil Society Organizations and High Networth Individuals in Nigeria is to join hands to set the priorities right and address the root cause of the problem of insurgency and allied vices in Nigeria. No matter the billions of naira spent on addressing the effects, it will make no meaningful impact until the root causes are objectively and effectively addressed once and for all.

    What is the Government doing about the increasing rate of drug addiction in Nigeria?

    What is the Government doing about ethnicism and religious discrimination even in the civil service system? Attention is shifting to Ebola virus again now.

    I hereby advice the Government to wake up and decisively deal with the Ebola of Road Infrastructure decay, Unemployment and Drug Addiction among others in Nigeria to avoid situations worse than terror attacks in the country.

    The fact still remains that the terror of today could have been avoided several years ago if the appropriate proactive actions have been taken.

    The Government at all levels need to be more proactive now than ever before. A stitch in time saves nine.

  • Nigerian hotels, govt and road safety

    Nigerian hotels, govt and road safety

    In the course of my business, I have touched every state in Nigeria and I have lodged in several hotels including five star hotels.

    In virtually all the hotels that I have used at one time or the other, I noticed one common factor, “the waiting game.”

    By “waiting game”, I mean a situation where hotel managements wait until customers complain before they put some faulty facilities right if at all they put them right.

    There is a particular hotel in Abuja that I used thrice within a period of two months. As at the third time, I deliberately requested for that same room only to discover that the same faulty facility had not been fixed after several complaints from me and several other clients. Why on earth must they wait for customers to complain?

    It is expected that every hotel management should have a system whereby routine inspection is carried out on all the rooms and facilities with the goal of fixing the faulty ones without waiting for customers to complain first.

    Now relating this experience to Nigerian roads and road furniture, a trip to several roads in all the states will bring up a question which the passenger of a commercial bus once asked, “are government officials not plying this road?”

    It is expected that the Federal, state and local governments should institute a system whereby a particular department in the Ministry of works or other relevant organs will be responsible for carrying out a routine inspection of all the roads (trunk A, trunk B and trunk C as the case may be) with the aim of identifying the failed portions so that immediate action can be taken to prevent more damage to the road as well as prevent the loss of lives and properties.

    Why on earth should any well-meaning government wait for public outcry on any road before taking palliative measures?

    Let us come to the home front. Is there any responsible father that waits for his children to start crying for food before he makes provision for their feeding? The difference here is that the father knows that it is his responsibility to supply the needs of his children. The opposite is, however, the case in governance.

    The government does not believe that it owes Nigerians any obligation. The government believes that whatever they do for the citizens is a privilege to them and not a right or obligation. Whose money is being used to repair the roads?

    It is time now for governments at all levels to wake up to their responsibilities of paying more attention to the conditions of all the roads with the goal of making provisions for temporary and lasting solution to the roads. There are some road conditions that just one bag of cement with a little gravel can put right and thereby save the lives and properties that would have been wasted in such places.

    My question again, “why wait till the people cry out before you perform your responsibilities as the government?”