AWKA – Nigerians have been called upon to join forces with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to protect children from road accidents and guarantee the future of the country.
Rev. Fr. Patrick Okafor of St Matthew’s Catholic Church, Amawbia, Awka, Anambra, gave the advice on Sunday at a thanksgiving mass to end the week-long activities marking ‘’UN Decade of Action on Child Safety’’.
Okafor said that safety of the Nigerian child on the road was a responsibility of not just the FRSC, but parents, teachers and all adults.
He commended the Anambra command of the commission for its efforts at making the highways in the state safe, adding that success recorded so far came at a great risk to their lives.
“God has given us life and life has to be protected; these FRSC personnel are saving lives at great risk to their own lives.
“We must not leave it to them alone; it is the duty of parents, teachers and caregivers to join them in this task.
“Our children are our future; we must protect our children to save our future and we must guide them because, most times, their judgement may not be the best for them.
“It is our prayer that God will continue to protect every road user as we make efforts to make the roads safer for all of us,’’ Okafor said.
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In his remarks, FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Mr Sunday Ajayi, said that death of children due to road accidents had become an issue of global concern, hence the UN initiative.
Ajayi advised parents to avoid “deadly love’’ for their children by ensuring that they did not carry them on their arms while driving or make them sit in the front seat.
He also urged drivers to be careful when driving in residential areas or cluster area as “there is always a child after a ball’’.
“Apart from this ongoing advocacy, the commission will continue to enforce road traffic rules and regulations and will invoke penalties when offenders are caught,’’ the FRSC boss said. (NAN)