By Joseph Edegbo :
As year 2021 ends, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has urged Nigerians to improve on the safe road use culture in view of of improved road rehabilitation and constructions going on across the country.
This is contained in the new year message to Nigerians by the Corps Marshal of FRSC amidst fears of spread of COVID-19 and its new variant, omicron which are posing health challenges to the nation’s public safety. The Corps Marshal therefore urges members of the public to observe both the traffic rules and regulations as well as the protocols on the dreaded disease put in place to safeguard them as they drive to the new year.
According to a press release signed by the Corps Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem and made available to the newsmen over the weekend, the Corps Marshal expressed gratitude to God for the grace of protection and guidance given to the nation in the face of the various health, safety and security challenges experienced in the outgoing year. He appealed for sustained consciousness by people to overcome the challenges in the new year.
Kazeem further disclosed that even though the Corps Marshal is pleased with the conduct of most drivers during the recent Christmas celebration which made the rate and fatalities of road traffic crashes manageable, he nevertheless cautions that if such good habits were not sustained in the new year, there could be a resurgence of crash situation which could undermine the gains made from the special patrol. “Every Nigerian must, therefore remain committed to tackling the challenges which road safety and COVID-19 pose to the nation’s health, safely, security and wellbeing by doing what is right at all times,” he stated.
On the most common factors responsible for fatal crashes during the Christmas celebration, the Corps Marshal restated his earlier observations on speeding which has continued to be identified as a critical causative factor, necessitating his directives to the Commanding Officers to force down the rate of speed induced crashes through aggressive enforcement of the laws on speed limiting devices. “The discovery that some Nigerians are still flouting the law on use of speed limiting devices in their vehicles resulting in the upsurge in speed related crashes was unfortunate. But such flagrant disobedience to traffic safety rules would no longer be condoned in the new year as enforcement would be total and unwavering,” he warned.
Oyeyemi commended all the stakeholders that joined the road safety campaigns during the festive periods to make the roads safer, adding that road safety remains a shared responsibility which no single organisation can tackle all alone without support and collaboration of relevant stakeholders. He particularly expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR for rendering all necessary moral and logistics support for the success of the campaigns in the outgoing year which has to global recognition of Nigeria’s efforts in the campaign for safer road environment.
The FRSC Corps Marshal also called on all Nigerians to embrace the ongoing safety campaigns to make it an all round success for quick socioeconomic development of the nation. He also reminded Nigerians that it’s only the living that can celebrate, stressing that speeding must be contained by all means, despite its thrilling effects.
While admonishing Nigerians on their personal responsibility to the campaigns to make the roads safer, Oyeyemi further urged the people to remain active by always observing the traffic rules and regulations and reporting road and other emergencies promptly to the FRSC toll free line: 122 or the studios of the National Traffic Radio-107.1fm through the telephone lines:08052998090 or 09067000015 for prompt response.
As the Corps Marshal wishes all Nigerians safer and prosperous new year, he assures the nation that FRSC will continue to be vigilant in safeguarding the roads throughout the new year and beyond for safety and security of the people. He further appealed to all to abide by the safety measures put in place to guarantee safety and security of all members of the public.
