The Nigerian government has assured the United Nations Decade of Action and other road safety stakeholders of continued collaboration to ensure safety advocacy and education.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed gave the assurance in Abuja, at the National Road Safety Stakeholders Summit and World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2019 with the theme ‘life is not a car part.’
Mr Mohammed said that; ”Road safety is key to the development of any nation, hence the ministry of information is ready to continue to partner with the UN Decade of Action and other road safety stakeholders to ensure that road users are well educated and ensure adherence to traffic regulations.”
Over the years, millions of lives are lost to road traffic accidents while others are injured or maimed.
To address these issues, the United Nations Decade of Action and other road safety stakeholders annually gather to exchange ideas and advocate for safety on roads.
The United Decade of Action focal person, Dr Sydney Ibeanusi said; ”about 10 years ago, precisely March 2010, the United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed the Decade for Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. Its goal is to stabilize and reduce the forecast level of road traffic deaths around the world with the target of saving an estimated 5 million lives during the decade.
”The Global status report of 2018 on road safety reveals that Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) claim the lives of nearly 1.35 million people every year, injure more than 50 million persons, some permanently disabled. Most of the deaths are in Africa and other developing nations and mainly affect youths and children.”
Dr Ibeanusi explained that in Nigeria, the United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety and Injury Prevention with its stakeholders engages in advocacy programs including the ‘World Day of Remembrance campaign.’
The campaign is marked every year to commemorate victims of RTCs and to celebrate the able hard working persons who risk their lives to ensure that the roads remain safe and that victims of road crashes are responded to promptly and appropriately.
Dr Ibeanusi said that the Nigerian the Government has done a lot in road safety since the establishment of the Federal Road Safety Corps.
He added that the efforts have been complimented by concerted efforts of relevant Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with a view to achieving the global target of reducing deaths by 50% by the year 2020.
Commendation
The Minister of transportation, Mr Rotimi Ameachi commended the UN Decade of Action for its initiative on road safety and protection lives.
The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole said that it was necessary to implement strategies to ensure roads are safe.
”It offers an opportunity for drawing attention to the scale of emotional and economic devastation caused by road crashes and for giving recognition to the suffering of road crash victims as well as support and rescue services…This is done by educating the public on issues of concern, to mobilise political will and resources to address global problems, celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity,” Professor Adewole said.
He added that punishment should be meted on road traffic offenders.
The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC Corp marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi said the commission would continue to work with stakeholders to ensure advocacies and abundance to road traffic rules.
He urged the public to pay attention to personal safety, adding that through collective efforts people’s perspective would be changed towards road usage.
Shiktra Shanlangwa I Jumoke Ogidan I Mercy Chukwudiebere I VON
