Awka – The Anambra Government says it is ready to work with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to achieve safety on roads in the state.
The state Commissioner for Transport, Mrs Chinwe Nwaebili, said this on Tuesday during the 2016 Annual Rally of West African Road Safety Organisation in Akwa.
The theme of the rally is: `If We Don’t Kill Over Speeding; Over Speeding Will Kill Us’.
Nwaebili said the theme of the rally was apt in view of the number of deaths resulting from speed-related crashes.
She said the state government had been training officials of the State Traffic Management Agency (ATMA) on professionalism to enable them complement the efforts of the FRSC effectively.
“This programme is good and we need more of it; the Anambra Government will continue to support the FRSC.
“We should no longer have deaths on the highway in Nigeria and Anambra, so road users must try to obey traffic rules,” he said.
In his message, the Sector Commander of the FRSC in Anambra, Mr Sunday Ajayi, said speeding was responsible for over 50 per cent of crashes on the road.
According to Ajayi, speed leads to loss of control, brake failure, dangerous driving and tyre burst which were all immediate causes of crashes and deaths.
He said Nigeria was a major stakeholder in the Organisation which was created to raise awareness on road safety issues.
He urged motorists to contribute their quota toward achieving safer roads.
“We are all stakeholders and we can help achieve the noble ideals of FRSC; logistics, sponsorship of jingles, workshop and even compliance are part of it,” he said.
Also, the Secretary of International Red Cross Society in Anambra, Mr Chuma Ibeabuchi, said the society was concerned about the rate of emergencies on the roads.
Ibeabuchi said the organisation’s participation in the rally was to further express its commitment to the protection and safety of lives.
Participants at the show included members of the FRSC, the Red Cross, Vehicle Inspection Officers and Corps members. (NAN)
