The Chairmen, Senate Committee on Inter-governmental Affairs and House of Representatives Committee on Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have pledged their support for road safety campaigns in the country. The two Chairmen who spoke at the venue of the launch of the second phase of Pan Nigerian road safety campaign organised by the FRSC in partnership with Exxon Mobile/NNPC Joint venture, stated that it is high time that Nigerians accepted the realities of obeying traffic rules and regulations, stressing that the legislature will ensure the success of road safety campaigns through legislative actions.
According to Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy FRSC, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Inter-governmental Affairs, Senator Tijani Laura said the launch of the Pan Nigerian road safety campaign is not only timely, but a commendable demonstration of good corporate social responsibility by the sponsors. He enjoined public spirited individuals, especially corporate organisations to emulate the good example, saying the National Assembly will stand firmly by the FRSC in its commitment to make the road environments safe for all. “That is the message we have come here today to pass,” he stated.
Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman, House Committee on FRSC, Honourable Yunusa Abubakar, while commending the FRSC for its commitment to issues of road safety lauded Exxon Mobile/NNPC Joint venture for the sponsorship of the programme, urging Nigerians to embrace road safety campaigns by obeying traffic rules and regulations. He specially called on people to always use seatbelt and always drive within the stipulated speed limits, adding that the National Assembly will stand by the FRSC in its commitment to save lives of road users.
In his welcome address, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi stated that the first phase of the road safety campaign with Exxon Mobile/NNPC Joint venture was launched in 2013, pointing out that the partnership initiative has led to the production of 32 Billboards by the corporations. While assuring the nation of the sustained efforts by the FRSC to make the nation’s highways safe through appropriate measures, he disclosed the Billboards were erected at strategic locations along the critical highways across the country and have contributed immensely to creating public awareness.
According to him, with sustained road safety campaigns and collaboration with stakeholders, Nigerians are gradually embracing road safety issues and buying into the Corps’ programmes. “It goes to say that your efforts in the past have contributed to the growth of the desired goal,” he stated.
“It is therefore, my hope that the enlightenment materials, including the 32 billboards produced in the first phase of this project, to be strongly energized by this second phase will further entrench Nigerians in road safety ideals,” he Oyeyemi stated.
In his keynote address, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David Lawal who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office in the Office of the Government of the Federation, Dr Ray Ugo, while lauding the initiative of the partnership against road carnage, described the campaign as apt and another opportunity for people to change their attitudes to road safety issues through public awareness creation. He assured that the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will continue to render necessary support to the FRSC in its determination to develop the capacity of its personnel and provide logistics that could lead to the restoration of sanity on the roads.
There were goodwill messages from the Ministers of Power, Works and Housing as well as Transportation who commended the partnership initiative between the FRSC and Exxon Mobile/NNPC Joint venture. They pledged the support of their Ministries to the success of the campaign and assured of further collaboration with the FRSC. The World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Country Representative in Nigeria in his goodwill message expressed concerns with the rate and fatalities of road traffic crashes, especially in the third world countries where young and productive segment of the population are the most vulnerable.
Other goodwill messages came from strategic partners like the President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Nazeem Yasin, the President of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Alhaji Musa Shehu both of who identified with the campaign and expressed their readiness to collaborate with the FRSC in further tackling the challenges of road safety in the country.
In his remarks at the occasion, the representative of the General Manager of Exxon Mobile Producing Limited, while appreciating the participants for attending the programme, stressed the need for collective efforts against road carnage in the country, saying public awareness creation remains a strategic weapon in the campaign to make the road environments safe. He pledged the the commitment of the company to sustain the campaign through greater collaboration with the FRSC, pointing out that the second phase of the campaign would be extended to the six geopolitical zones of the country through motor park rallies to be stated in major cities across the country.
Highlight of the occasion was the flag off of the second phase of the campaign by the representative of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who was joined by other dignitaries to cut the tape signifying commencement of the second phase of the road safety campaign
The programme was attended by large participants from various fields including stakeholders from Military and civil society organisations including members of the Road Safety Officers Wives Association (ROSOWA) led by its President, Mrs Bolanle Oyeyemi
