The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SON

  • ‘Help me with N4.8m to save my son’

    You can help save the life of 3-year-old Fatai Owolabi who was born like every other normal human being. The mother gave birth to him without complications but problem began to manifest when the mother was discharged from hospital after birth the following day. Since then the situation continues to deteriorate. For the child to live a normal life is dependent on your kind donation to fly him to abroad for special medical treatment according to doctor’s prescription.

    Fatai Owolabi, was diagnosed of Cerebral Palsy at the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and requires about N4.8million to be flown to an Indian hospital for special medical treatment

    His father, Sulaimon Owolabi who made this information available to The Nation narrated that the child could neither talk, sit down nor stand up; he only rolls on the bed, floor or ground depending on where he is kept at the time. And again, his eyes continue to go up and down every minute of the hour. He does not eat or take breast, though he sometimes takes some fluid.

    Describing the strangeness of the illness, Owolabi said he had gone to many native doctors, spiritualists, churches, men and women of God seeking solution to the problem thinking it was a spiritual matter, “until someone enlightened me that the matter with my child is a medical problem” that was when I took him to (LASUTH).

    The father who is a furniture and carpentry maker said he had spent all the money he had on the boy’s health yet there is no positive result. He said that he has sold his piece of land in order to raise money to secure adequate treatment for the child but all to no avail.

    He lamented: “I cannot even calculate or say exactly how much I have spent on him. I have been on this matter since his birth and I didn’t know it was a medical issue. The problem the boy has is from the brain and the doctor said it is called cerebral palsy and that we need to fly him out for special treatment, and that will cost us N4.8million”, where do I raise this money he cried.

    He is therefore appealing to the Lagos State Government and other good spirited individuals to rally support for him to raise this sum of money to enable him take his son to overseas for treatment

    “I started carrying him up and down for help, some gave us stipend, some did not respond to our request at all. Even the governor of the Lagos State, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola who saw the boy promised that he will help us, he sent someone to us but the person has not given us any reply up till now, I have been calling the man on phone it was later that the man told me that the governor said that I should take the child to hospital but when they gave me the report of the child to give back to the governor since then I have not set my eyes on the man”, he expressed.

    On how the problem started, Owolabi narrated: “The mother gave birth to him a normal delivery and after about five minutes he cried but when we took him home the following day he could neither cry, take water nor breast, his eyes began to go up. We took him to hospital where he spent about a month and half and when they discharged him to us we felt that the problem was over, but after three months we expected him to respond, but he couldn’t respond to us”.

    “The mother began to get worried but I tried to calm her down urging her to still examine him for some time but after the sixth and seventh months he couldn’t respond even to the call of his name that was when I started looking for solutions

    The Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Dr. M A Salisu in a telephone call confirmed that Fatai Owolabi was diagnosed of Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy of moderate severity. In addition, the boy suffers from sensory deficits including visual, hearing and speech impairment.

    In a report presented to The Nation Dr. Salisu said that management of the boy’s condition would be a long-term and would involve the use of medications, rehabilitative procedures and expected inter-current illnesses. It is recommended that he attends the paediatric neurology clinic bimonthly. For donations, please contact Sulaimon Owolabi on 08096596569 or pay in to GTB, Account Number 0140780425.

     

  • How my son was killed, by mother

    How my son was killed, by mother

    A mother is still in agony over the death of her son last December 24.

    Mrs Gift Ilaya (37) said her son, Sunday was allegedly stabbed to death by his friend, Nnabaike Enwerem, in the presence of the suspect’s father.

    The suspect’s father, she claimed, also witnessed the incident.

    Mrs Ilaya is seeking financial assistance from Nigerians for her son’s burial.

    The 21-year-old Sunday, who was a welding apprentice, was allegedly stabbed in the neck.

    Mrs Ilaya, who deals in cat fish, said since the incident, she had been left to her fate, alleging that Nnabaike’s parents have fled.

    She said: “Since his corpse was deposited at a morgue in Badagry, I have been paying N5000 monthly. I am a struggling woman; I am broke now. I don’t have anyone who can help me. I still have five other children who I cater for. I want people to help me with money so I can bury my son. It is so sad that my son, who was brutally murdered, is still lying in the mortuary almost two months after.”

    Speaking with The Nation at her Ajangbadi, Lagos residence yesterday, she recounted the circumstances surrounding the death of her son: “A man who operates a bakery in our area asked some children in the area to gather firewood for him. Upon completion of the task, he gave them money in appreciation of their efforts. However, Nnabaike decided to share the money unevenly. My son was angered and questioned the rationale behind the sharing formula. In the process, they started fighting and I was told he hit my son in the eyes with a torch.

    “Nnabaike and his father later came to our house. While his father was accusing my son of fighting his son, Nnabaike suddenly came from behind and stabbed my son in the neck with a kitchen knife.  He was then rushed to Delta Medical Hospital, Ajangbadi, where he died.

    “Sunday had always lived with my mother in Edo State. He had spent only three years in Lagos before the incident occurred. I don’t know what happened between them. We are friends of the Enwerems. They ate and slept together. We have been living in this community for over six years and we have not had issues with anyone.”

    The chairman, Isoko Leading Group, Ajangbadi, Friday Awodita said efforts to locate the Enwerem family have been futile.

    “They shouldn’t have neglected us. I heard they have been bribing the policemen to free their son. I hope the police will not compromise on allowing justice to reign,” he said.

  • Fed Govt probes death of Aisha Falode’s son

    Fed Govt probes death of Aisha Falode’s son

    The Federal Government may have begun the probe into  the death of 19-year-old Toba Falode, who was allegedly killed in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 16, last year, it was learnt yesterday.

    Toba, the late son of renowned sports journalist, Mrs Aisha Falode, was said to have been pushed from his 17th floor apartment on February 16, last year, by a Saudi Arabia teenager who accused  the deceased of having an affair with his girlfriend.

    Although testimonies of Toba’s friends, who were at his apartment when the incidence occurred and exhibits gathered from the scene fingered the suspect, Faisal Aldakmary Al-Nasser, the Dubai police investigation said Toba fell from the railings. He was said to have sat on the railings with his feet off the ground.

    Several efforts by Mrs. Falode, her lawyer Festus Keyamo and rights activist, Dr. Joe Okey-Odumakin to get the Nigerian Embassy in Dubai to prevail on the country’s police to reopen the case proved abortive.

    The situation had pushed the bereaved mother to ponder the worth of a Nigerian life and the activities of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

    Mrs Falode spoke yesterday in Lagos at Toba’s one-year rememberance at the Trinity House, Zion Centre,  Lekki,Lagos. The popular broadcaster and television host spoke of her plan to start a foundation to give succour to women who lose their children in  questionable circumstances.

    Expressing hope that Toba would get justice, Mrs Falode said the Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, had written the Dubai Government.

    She urged Nigerians to hold the Foreign Affairs Ministry accountable for the death of Nigerians abroad, especially in suspicious circumstances.

    She blamed the Nigerian Embassy in UAE for not making sufficient efforts on the incident, despite written, oral and pictoral evidence presented to it.

    Mrs Falode urged the government to ensure that her son and other young Nigerians killed in foreign lands get justice.

  • SON moves against importers of fake LED bulbs

    Importers of sub-standard Light Emitting Diode (LED) energy saving bulbs are in for hard times, says the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). It has adopted measures to stop influx of such bulbs.

    The organisation has also started examination of all imported LED bulbs to determine their genuineness. LED bulbs are considered the best energy saving bulbs. They are expensive but have long life span.

    SON’s Head of Enforcement, Bede Obayi said the bulbs are undergoing tests in the agency’s laboratory to determine their level of reliability, and further ensure that those that fail to meet the required safety standards are impounded to serve as deterrent to other importers.

    He said the tests vary in scope, adding that they seek to achieve a common goal of differentiating the original from fake.

    Obayi told The Nation that SON is conducting what it described as Life and Turfion tests on the bulbs in order to know the compositions, workings, and other vital information about the bulbs, and subsequently separate the fake from the original.

    He said Life test is going to show the life span of the bulbs vis-a-vis knowing the number of hours they can spend before they go off, while the Turfion test shows the distinct and definite natures of the bulbs.

    He said bulbs are expected to spend certain number of hours, days, or months, adding that there are cases whereby bulbs goes off few hours after they are fixed.

    Obayi explained that people use substandard energy saving bulbs without considering their financial and health implications. He said bulbs that are not showing reasonable level of light emission, offering lasting value, among meeting other requirements provided by their manufacturers, are deemed to be substandard, and should be withdrawn from the market.

    Obayi said there was no let up in the fight against importation of substandard energy equipment, noting that SON has been withdrawing obsolete gas cylinders from the market in line with the Federal Government’s directive that the  products must be phased out to pave way for the production of new ones locally.

    According to him, complaints from customers made the government to initiate the tests, among taking other precautionary measures to protect the users.

    He said the delay in impounding fake energy bulbs, was as a result of lack of enough evidence on them, stressing that the tests would give a true picture of the bulbs used in Nigeria.

    Obayi said: “It was not proper for SON to start impounding energy saving bulbs without having enough proofs to substantiate its claims.  The tests would reveal a lot of things. The outcome would determine the next line of action which SON would take. We have heard of fake energy saving bulbs in the market, but we need to follow due process by conducting a thorough investigation on the issue before we do anything.

    “We have organised a forum for all the stakeholders especially those that are importing the bulbs. We told them to collect Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) certificate since it is a major way of knowing whether products coming into Nigeria meet the local standards.

    He said possessing of SONCAP certificate is mandatory for importers of goods into the country, arguing that anybody without the certificate is not worthy of bringing goods into the country.

    The government’s decision to introduce pre-paid meters made electricity consumers to determine their consumption level and costs. In recent times, millions of energy conserving bulbs have flooded the market as consumers transit from analog to pre-paid meters.

  • Obesere’s son floats record label

    Obesere’s son floats record label

    Son of self-styled Fuji musician, Abass Akande Obesere, has taken a bold step to float a new record label called R-Entertainment, giving reasons he doesn’t want to follow the same genre as his father.

    Lekan, who is based in Dublin, said he desire to have a different identity from the acclaimed Paramount King of Fuji.

    “I don’t want to play Fuji music because my great grand dad was a Fuji musician. My dad too is a Fuji musician. And a lot of people don’t know that two of my father’s brothers are into Fuji music as well,” he said.

    The young lad arrived Nigeria recently with two acts on his label; rap artiste, Abiodun Azeez, aka Beezy and Hip-hop sensation, Akinyemi Akintoye, known as Sajan.

    Speaking of the mission of R-Entertainment in the Nigeria music scene, he said, “I started R-Entertainment two years ago. It is about promoting music in Africa. I have been collaborating with top promoters in Dublin. I was part of the team that brought Wizkid, Davido and others from Nigeria. I just felt it is about time I come back home to add value to what we have now. And by so doing, we are going to be promoting a couple of singles from the two acts on the label. Beezy is a rapper, and already, he has a single titled Pawon, produced by TJ, while Sajan is a hip-hop artist. He too has a single titled Soyoyo. These two singles we shall be releasing officially on Nigerian radio stations from next week,” he revealed.

    On R-Entertainment, his sojourn in Dublin and how he met his two signees, Lekan said: “The label started in 2013 in Dublin after I did my first club show for which I brought an artiste from the UK. I just wanted to test the waters with that show, and it turned out to be a successful show. I continued with the club shows in Dublin, but I didn’t just want to stay glued to that platform.  So I decided to think out of the box; everyone knows my dad is a musician, and I didn’t want to sing. At that point, I decided to sign my first artiste, Beezy. We did a couple of stuffs and I thought that since I have a rapper, it would make sense to get a singer as well. I then decided to bring Sajan on board. Together we’ve done a lot of works in Dublin. So we then decided it is about time to come back to Nigeria where we came from and contribute our quota to the music industry.

  • DPR, SON to sanction erring gas plants

    DPR, SON to sanction erring gas plants

    TIME is up for erring Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plants. The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of Nigeria (LPGAN) have resolved to deal with plants not following gas rules.

    Also under scrutiny are cooking gas retailers, unauthorised importers and marketers of gas cylinders.

    DPR, SON and LPGAN officials  in separate interviews with The Nation, said they had started investigations into the activities of  operators nationwide to determine thier level of compliance with safety guidelines.

    Head, Gas Department, DPR, Antigha Ekaluo, said the department had made arrangements to get all the stakeholders in the LPG sub-sector involved.

    The agency, it said, is auditing all the licensed gas plants to know those that were complying with the rules. He said owners of plants who failed to operate in line with the statutory provisions provided for the sub-sector risked being sanctioned.

    Ekaluo, who spoke on the sideline of a stakeholders’ conference in Lagos, said part of the measures to rid the industry of quacks is the licensing of retail outlets.

    He said: “Our inspectors have been directed to ensure compliance. The DPR in the coming months shall commence facility audit of licensed plants nationwide to ensure compliance with statutory provisions on plant operations.”

    Many of the marketers, Ekaluo said, sell and store LPG without licences, and in the process, contravene the laws guiding the operators. He said DPR is putting a stop to the menace to promote safety and healthy environment.

    He directed all plants to ensure that resale outlets have valid licenses to be able to operate well, adding that the body has directed its officials to move against illegal operators.’’

    SON’s Head of Enforcement Bede Obayi said the agency had started what he described as ‘search and fit’ exercise to know people behind the operation of illegal LPG plants and check their excesses.

    He said the body has officials in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Authority (FCT), working to rid the country of sub-standard LPG cylinders, among other products.

    Obayi said the body relies on external sources of information to deal with illegal sellers and importers of gas cylinders.

    He said: “Apart from the fact that SON’s officials have been deployed to check the activities of illegal importers in the country, the agency relies on ‘informants’ to get information on the hideouts of perpetrators of such crimes. Informants have been of great help to us in this regard. We have informants in ports across the country, and they oblige us with information needed to tackle the issue.

    “When we get information that a container carrying gas cylinders is leaving the ports, we mobilise our men to intercept the container. Once we discover that the products lack neceesary details, we impound them immediately.”

    Obayi said SON has intercepted several containers carrying substandard gas cylinders, seized and taken them to designated warehouses from where they were taken to steel firms for grinding and conversion into other metal objects.

    “The importation of substandard gas cylinders is the handiwork of some operators. We have directed people to apply to the Director-General, SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, for approval to import gas cylinders. There are procedures for bringing gas cylinders into the country. People that meet the guidelines have no problem. Once you are not complying with the guidelines, we stop you from importing the product. We are on top of the game,” he said.

    According to him, when arrests are made by SON, suspects and their goods are usually handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.

    The President, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of Nigeria (LPGAN), Dapo Adesina, said the association has  directed his members to report anybody contravening procedures for engaging in the business to the nearest police station.

    Adesina said there are 200 gas filling plant owners and 4,000 retailers in the country, noting that they have been certified to do the business. He added that the group’s duty is to pass safety information and other relevant data for growth to the operators.

    He said illegal operators of gas filling plants are not members of the association, and are treated as such.

    According to him, the power to approve LPG operators lies with the DPR, noting that the body regulates the sub-sector.

    Adesina said his members were aware of the safety procedures, and ready to comply.

    ”One way of tackling the menace is to educate members on the dangers of operating gas plants or selling the product without approval.

    “Through training, we enable our members to know gas compositions, how volatile the product is, and how to prevent explosion. The training is ongoing because we want to get to a level that the activities of fake operators are curtailed,’’ he said.

    There had been cases of gas explosions in some parts of the country that had resulted to fatalities. There was a gas explosion in Akure, the Ondo State capital a few weeks ago. The incident, which occurred at a gas station, drew the ire of stakeholders, including the state government, owners of LPG plants, among others. The group called on the Federal Government to ban any operator that is disobeying the rules.

  • Father ‘kills’ son in Ebonyi

    A 45-year-old man, Mr. Nwofu Igbo, at the weekend allegedly killed his 16-year-old son.

    The incident occurred at Nwofee community in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

    The victim, who lived in Lagos State, returned to his village to celebrate Christmas with his family.

    A source alleged that Nwofu killed his son.

    According to him, a quarrel had ensued between him and the deceased’s mother, which led to her being driven out of the matrimonial home.

    The source said the suspect married another wife, who bore him five children. He reportedly took possession of all that belonged to the deceased’s mother.

    The Nation learnt that the victim, who had been living with his mother and siblings, returned to his father’s home to reconcile his estranged parents.

    “When the deceased greeted his father and asked him where he could put his luggage, Nwofu was hostile to him. The deceased left and spent the night in the home of one of his friends.

    “When he returned the next day to apologise and  reconcile his parents,  Nwofu grudgingly showed him a room where he could stay. As he was changing his clothes, he sneaked in and hit him in the head with a big iron and he died. The suspect then dumped his son’s body on the road,” the source said.

    He said when the villagers found the body, Nwofu did not own up. But one of his sons, the deceased’s half brother, told them and the police that he saw the father hit the victim with an iron before he dumped his body on the road.

    Police Commissioner Maigari Dikko confirmed the incident.

    He said it was being investigated.

  • SON destroys N500m fake products

    SON destroys N500m fake products

    Over N500million worth of sub-standard goods were destroyed this year by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

    Speaking at the destruction of substandard products at its Shagamu dump site, Ogun State, its Head, Inspectorate and Compliance, Bede Obayi, said most of the products were seized from various ports and the borders, while some were smuggled items seized in some states.

    He said it was disheartening to note that despite efforts by the agency to enlighten the citizenry about the negative effects of substandard products to the economy and Nigerians, importers still engaged in the illicit trade.

    Obayi said the move by SON is to show its zero tolerance for substandard products, and also serve as a deterrent to unscrupulous importers who do not mean well for the nation. “We are also going to intensify our effort to ensure that these products do not find their way into the Nigerian market,” he said,   warning importers to desist from the act.

    He said: “You are all aware that these goods are imported by people who do not mean well for the country. We have told them that if they must bring in goods, it must be goods that meet the minimum requirements of the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) that will give consumers value for their hard earned money.”

    Speaking on the destruction, he said the goods are worth more than N500 million. He listed the products to include, electric armored cables, tyres, expired supermarket breakfast cereals, extension sockets, mini-led flashlights, rechargeable lamps, shaving sticks, mobile phones, stabilisers and engine oil, among others.

    “We are destroying this huge volume of goods, but creating jobs for people overseas because by the time we destroy these goods, we get nothing but economic loss. We are not happy destroying these products, but if we can save the life of one Nigerian by burning these products, we have done something for this country and this is exactly the core mandate of our agency by showing zero tolerance for substandard goods in this country.

    Obayi said SON has used many fora to educate importers and other stakeholders on the right way to import products into the country.

     

    Also, the SON Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) is in place and it is still running, while its e-registration programme is also active to help trace each product to the importer and effectively monitor imports.

    “We have told importers times without number that they should approach SON to get the right standards for the products they are bringing into this country so that when they come in, we will not in any way tamper with their goods, but ensure easy access into ýtheir warehouses.

    These goods were destroyed to save the lives of Nigerians who are not aware of the harmful effect of these products, he said.

  • SON destroys N500m fake products

    SON destroys N500m fake products

    Over N5 billion worth of sub-standard goods were destroyed ii 2014 by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

    Disclosing this at the destruction of substandard products at the Shagamu dump site, Ogun State,  SON’s Head of Inspectorate and Compliance, Bede Obayi, said most of the products were seized from various ports and the borders, while some were smuggled items seized in some states.

    He said it is disheartening to note that despite  efforts by the agency to enlighten the citizenry about the negative effects of substandard products to the economy and Nigerians, importers still engaged in the illicit trade.

    Obayi, said the move by SON is to show its zero tolerance for substandard products, and also serve as a deterrent to unscrupulous importers who do not mean well for the nation. “We are also going to intensify our effort to ensure that these products do not find their way into the Nigerian market,” and also warn importers to desist from the act.

    “You are all aware that these goods are imported by people who do not mean well for the country. We have told them that if they must bring in goods, it must be goods that meet the minimum requirements of the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) that will give consumers value for their hard earned money.”

    Speaking on the current destruction, he said the goods are worth more than N500 million.He listed the products to include, electric armored cables, tyres, expired supermarket breakfast cereals, extension sockets, mini-led flashlights, rechargeable lamps, shaving sticks, mobile phones, stabilisers and engine oil, amongst others.

    “We are destroying this huge volume of goods, but creating jobs for people overseas because by the time we destroy these goods, we get nothing but economic loss. We are not happy destroying these products, but if we can save the life of one Nigerian by burning these products, we have done something for this country and this is exactly the core mandate of our agency by showing zero tolerance for substandard goods in this country.

    Obayi said SON has used many fora to educate importers and other stakeholders on the right way to import products into the country, besides publishing in newspapers the steps to import products into the country.

    Also, the SON Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) is in place and it is still running, while its e-registration programme is also active to help trace each product to the importer and effectively monitor imports.

    “We have told importers times without number that they should approach SON to get the right standards for the products they are bringing into this country so that when they come in, we will not in any way tamper with their goods, but ensure easy access into ýtheir warehouses.

    These goods were destroyed to save the lives of Nigerians who are not aware of the harmful effect of these products, he said.

     

    Many people have lost their loved ones by consuming these substandard products,” he added.

  • SON sets new bus standards for schools

    In line with its effort to reduce the rate of casualties involving mostly school children, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has developed new standards/rules or guidelines for school owners with regard to the kind of buses schools across the country would use in conveying students to and from school.

    The Ota Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Assistant Corps Commander Sunday Omafu, revealed this at the public enlightenment campaign organised by the command for proprietors of private schools.

    He said the standards were set in a bid to reduce the number of casualties involving school children due to lack of standard school buses.

    He said: “The guidelines have become necessary in order to satisfy the urgent need or demand for minimum requirements for school bus operation in Nigeria.

    “The guidelines were ratified by the Technical Committee for School Bus Standards with reference to national and international regulations and guideline as well as inputs from relevant stakeholders across the country.”

    He said the guidelines for school bus operation specify operational and personnel requirements for operating school bus services in Nigeria.

    He said a school bus is a large vehicle that takes students to and from school or on school-related trips. School bus drivers are persons who are professionally trained to operate school buses, while school bus assistant, according to him, is a qualified or licensed driver that acts as assistant to conduct the students on the school bus.

    School bus operator, he said, is an entrepreneur who acquires an approved school bus type and engages in the business of conveying students to and from school. Operators’ permits, according to him, are documents which certify the technical and managerial competence of an entrepreneur to operate a school bus.

    On types of school bus, he said there are many types which include types A, B, C, D and E, which the SON approves.

    Type A bus accommodates 18 people, including the driver and his assistant. Type B, he said, is an extended capacity bus that accommodates 22 people including the driver and his assistant, while type C accommodates 28 people, including the driver and his assistant, type D bus accommodates 35 people, including the driver and his assistant.

    The school owners are at liberty of choosing any of the types of buses enumerated above that suits their needs.

    Omafu said: “The school buses are to be uniformly coloured and the exterior is to have a yellow background with two white stripes three centimetres spaced by two centimetres, running from the bonnet upwards across the roof down the back end.

    “The exterior must have the name of the school, the logo, serialised code on both sides and at the front view of the bus and must be conspicuously marked ‘school bus’ above the wind screen close to the roof.

    On requirements for drivers and assistants, he said the professional school bus drivers must be medically fit, pass alcohol/drug test, pass mental health and acuity test and must have no criminal record or indictment or jail terms, he must have a minimum of five years driving experience, junior school certificate (JSS3) or trade test II certificate as minimum academic qualification, he must possess a valid National driver’s license, operating license/permit which must be valid for three years and must not be transferable.

    The in-service training/on the job programmes, such as knowledge of routes and child psychology, seminars, workshops or conferences must always be organised for school drivers and assistants.

    “Mandatory rest period must be encouraged among the drivers and assistants; which might be between beginning of classes and the time the students will be conveyed back to their various homes,” he said.

    Omafu said the school bus operator must acquire a comprehensive insurance that will cover both the buses and the occupants of the vehicle from a registered insurance company by National Insurance Commission.

    School bus operators with up to five vehicles in its fleet must establish a safety unit and appoint a qualified safety manager to head the unit, to ensure drivers, assistants and parents are educated on safety measures to be observed while pupils board and alight from a school bus.

    Any public investor interested in school bus operation is advised to acquire appropriate bus type and enter into contract agreement with school proprietors for this purpose and must, however, comply with the provisions of these guidelines.

    The Nigeria Industrial Standard, according to him, has said any bus intended for use as school bus in Nigeria must meet the stipulated interior, exterior and mechanical standards.

    Omafu advised school owners to start working on the guidelines to avoid arrest when enforcement of the guidelines begins.

    The Unit’s Head, Desk Information Officer, ARC Adebola Babalola and Staff Officer, Public Enlightenment Department, ARC Temitope Ogundimu, enjoined parents/school owners to always ensure the safety of their children/wards right from home and school.

    A representative of Golden Flourishland School, Iyesi Ota, Mrs Akinwande Funmilola, urged the FRSC to stress this sensitisation exercise to the National Association of Proprietors of Nigeria (NAPPS), to ensure compliance.  While Mr Isiaka Ayinde from Jacobs High School, Ifo, appealed to government to make roads motorable, noting that no school or parents wish to be carrying children in rickety vehicles.