In a bid to enhance road safety, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has pledged his administration’s commitment to creating a safer environment for road users. Speaking in Port Harcourt at a town hall meeting on traffic administration and safety, organized by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Rivers Sector Command as part of their 2024 Ember Month campaign, Fubara emphasized the need for stricter road safety measures.
Represented by Mr. Hamilton Amadi, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Governor Fubara highlighted the importance of achieving the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, which seeks to establish safe and sustainable roads globally. He urged the FRSC to enforce traffic regulations more stringently, especially during the Ember months—a period notorious for a spike in road accidents.
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“The increase in road crashes, particularly during the Ember months, imposes a serious health, social, and economic burden on our society,” Fubara stated. “Working together to create a safe environment is essential if we are to combat what the United Nations has dubbed the ‘silent pandemic’ of road crashes.”
FRSC Sector Commander Inyang Umoh echoed the governor’s sentiments, underscoring the importance of public awareness in shaping safer road behaviors. He pointed out that dangerous driving practices account for more than 40% of road crashes in Nigeria. Umoh revealed that, according to FRSC and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data, there were 3,952 reported crashes in the first quarter of 2024 alone, resulting in 1,471 fatalities and 8,659 injuries.
Umoh emphasized the need for passengers to “speak up” against reckless driving behaviors such as speeding, drunk driving, and using phones while driving. “Every road user must adopt a positive attitude toward road safety, adhering to acceptable driving speeds and regulations, if we are to reduce these preventable tragedies,” he stressed.
