By Stephen Adeleye

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Sunday urged motorists to uphold the tenets of road safety by obeying traffic rules and regulations to prevent avoidable traffic deaths and injuries.

The Corps Marshal of FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, made the call during the commemorative church service to mark ”2020 Africa Road Safety Day/World Remembrance Day For Road Traffic Victims (WDR)”, held at Living Faith Church, Winners’ Chapel, Lokoja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for 2020 edition is: ”Remember, Support, and Act” with distinct objective to identify with trauma of victims of traffic crash and share message of hope to bereaved families.

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Represented by the FRSC Kogi Sector Commander, CC Solomon Agure, Oyeyemi enjoined motorists to ensure adequate maintenance of vehicles and giving consideration to other road users.

He noted that the remembrance day for road traffic victims also provided an opportunity to governments at all levels, and other stakeholders to expedite actions towards the actualization of the basic principles of Safe System approach to Road Safety management.

According to oyeyemi, the WHO report shows that road crashes represent a leading cause of death and injury around the world, killing more than 1.35 million and injuring over 50 million people a year.

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He noted that 90 per cent of those casualties occurring in developing countries.

He added that road traffic crashes remained the leading cause of death around the world for children and young people between 15 and 29 years of age.

”Traffic Deaths and injuries are preventable and avoidable if motorists will uphold the tenets of road safety by obeying traffic rules and regulations.

”As we round off the activities marking this year’s edition, we appeal to the conscience of all worshippers present at this solemn gathering to critically include road safety consciousness in their daily living.

”Making our roads safe is a collective responsibility for all of us.

”Let us, like the theme of the event, ‘Remember’ victims of Road Traffic Crashes, ‘Support’ government and all other efforts at addressing the issue of road safety.

” ‘Act’ by making decisive and conscious attitudinal changes towards contributing to a safer road safety environment in Nigeria”, Oyeyemi said.

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In his remarks, Pastor Dapo Olumuyiwa, the State Pastor of Living Faith Church, Lokoja, said that safety on the road remained a collective responsibility of everyone.

Olumuyiwa enjoined passengers to ensure they always caution any speeding driver at any point in time, reiterating that, ”we all have a collective responsibility to ensure safety on our roads”.

He further called on government to ensure that tyres being imported into the country were thoroughly checked.

The cleric prayed God to continually protect the safety corps’ personnel in discharging their duties, and prayed for God’s hand of favour and mercy upon Nigeria.

In a short interview with NAN after the service, Agure emphasised the need for motorists to always use seatbelt, check tyres, and avoid overtaken at hill or a bend. (NAN)
ASA

  Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, Kogi News