We are committed to safer roads, says Shettima

…as FRSC targets 50% crash reduction by 2030

By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured that the Federal Government is committed to saving lives and promoting safer roads across the country.

The Vice President said this during the 8th Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Annual Lecture Series, themed “Road Safety Management and Emerging Transportation Trends: Global Partnership and Optimal Performance,” on Wednesday in Abuja.

Shettima said he recognises road crashes as a major public health challenge with socio-economic consequences.

He said, “The Government recognises road crashes as a major public health challenge with socio-economic consequences. Accordingly, the Government is committed to saving lives and promoting a sustainable road transport system.

“We are aware that the FRSC Amendment Bill has passed 3rd Reading at the House of Reps and is awaiting concurrence at the Senate.

“I wish to assure you that the Government will continue to promote compliance to global best practices in road safety by supporting innovations that strengthen the Corps to ensure compliance to road safety laws and regulations.”

Shettima also emphasised the importance of the lecture, saying: “The purpose of the Annual Lecture Series underscores the need for the Corps to review performance, identify needs as well as create awareness on the challenges of road safety management in Nigeria. Consistent with these objectives, I believe that the lecture series will open up new vistas for driver education, policy makers and the general public to imbibe best practices and innovations on road safety.”

On his part, the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, said the Corps is determined to reduce road crash fatalities and injuries in line with United Nations targets.

Mohammed further raised concern over current data on road crashes, stating that the current data on road crashes reveal a yearly average of about 5,000 persons killed and 31,154 persons injured.

He said, “The theme of this year’s lecture series is Road Safety Management and Emerging Transportation Trends: Global Partnership and Optimal Performance. The theme was also carefully selected to align with the United Nations Assembly resolutions for Africa to implement measures that could reduce road crash fatalities and injuries by 50% by the year 2030.

“Despite significant effort by FRSC to create awareness through enforcement, advocacy and public enlightenment campaigns, current data on road crashes reveal a yearly average of about 5,000 persons killed and 31,154 persons injured.

“These figures underscore the need for the Corps to do more in harnessing resources towards implementing the national road safety development plan as captured in the National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) document.”

In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, stressed the timeliness of the lecture, particularly as the country enters the Ember Months.

Akume also praised the FRSC for its numerous achievements.

He said, “The timing of the Lecture Series is also crucial because it is coming up at the beginning of Ember Months: a period that is associated with a surge in the volume of vehicular traffic as well as in the statistics of road crash fatalities and injuries.

“As we deliberate on the way forward, I enjoin the Corps to put up practicable measures towards achieving zero-death in road crashes during the Yuletide and the New Year celebrations.

“I wish to commend the FRSC for its numerous laudable achievements which placed Nigeria on focus as a lead country in road safety management in the West Africa sub-region as well as in Africa in general.”

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