ROAD SAFETY OFFICIAL SETS AGENDA FOR NEW PRESIDENT ON ROAD SAFETY.
Countries all over the world take road safety with high level of seriousness haven been declared as a public health problem by the World Health Organization (WHO). Hence the huge budgetary allocations by Countries all over the world to road safety Ministries, Departments and Agencies to collate accurate data of crashes, injuries, deaths for the formulation of relevant policies for proactive and result – oriented executive actions to accomplish all the 5 pillars of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (Road Safety Administration, Safer Roads, Safer Vehicles, Safer Road Users and Post Crash Response) with the goal of drastically reducing the rate of road traffic crashes. The incoming President must pay more attention to the safety of lives and properties through increased budgetary allocation to the road safety sector. Presently, there is no standard road safety data center in Nigeria where deaths recorded from road accidents are entered and shared with other world road safety Agencies.
There is an urgent need to prioritize protection against road accidents through mass public enlightenment and road users education, improved funding and grants to the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies involved in transportation and road safety.
The Federal Road Safety Commission(FRSC) as the Lead Agency in Road Safety Administration in Nigeria should be well funded to have adequate operational vehicles, equipment and facilities to further boost their effectiveness in the prevention of road traffic crashes, prompt removal of dangerous obstructions on the roads and timely emergency responses both in the day and night.
The incoming President should declare an emergency on transportation and road safety in Nigeria as well as encourage public – private partnership in road construction, road transportation and promotion of safety in Nigeria.
The government should ensure the establishment of adequate and well equipped emergency and data centers across the Country.
Road transportation in Nigeria is the highest means of travels since the Aviation sector has become a reserve of only the people who are rich enough to foot the high air ticket bill. This has been putting pressure on road transportation thereby fueling road risks in every part of Nigeria both in the day and night.
The incoming President should also focus more attention on improving the number and quality of Road Networks, improve Rail Transportation for the transportation of people, particularly bulky and hazardous goods across the nation, take steps to reduce the cost of air travels as well as explore the possibility of sustainable sea transportation in the Country.
While congratulating the incoming President, I hereby reiterate my call for a more robust transportation system, road safety and security that will be a pride in African Continent and globally.
Dr. Yusuf John Suberu is National Coordinator/FCT Squadron Leader of RTO/VIO Mayors and Representative of NGOs/CSOs on Road Safety Matters in Nigeria to World Health Organization
