Ember months: Taraba sector commander seeks collaboration to tackle road accidents
Jethro Yerga, Jalingo
The Sector Commander, Federal Roadsafety Corps, FRSC RS3.3, Taraba State Command Jalingo, CC Selina L. Williams has called on various stakeholders to collaborate with the roadsafety officers in the state to ensure safety on the roads across the state during the ember months.
CC Selina was speaking at the occasion of the Flagg off of 2022 ember months campaign ceremony held at Owoniyi motor Park Jalingo, the Taraba State Capital.
The commandant stated that the ember months which runs from September to December of every year, was usually known with high volume of human and vehicular movements including other several activities to mark the end of the year hence, the need for all hands to be on deck to ensure safety on the roads across the state.
The Sector Commander noted that the 2022 ember months campaign which was anchored on the theme ” avoid speeding, overloading and unsafe tyres to arrive alive”, was aimed at enlightening road users through various awareness and patrol operations which would curtail and finally put a stop on various infractions exhibited by road users on Nigeria roads.
She identified the use of fake tyres, use of phone while driving, over speeding and overloading as some of the basic infractions that easily have negative impact on road users and called on various stakeholders to join hands with the command to prevent intending culprits of the infractions to ensure safety on the roads during the ember period.
“I also, humbly solicit for a strong political will by the two tiers of government to ensure more appropriate road safety legislations on roadsafety matters as the corp is ever willing to sustain measures to enforce the law and ensure compliance by all road users”. She added.
The Sector Commander applauded the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku for expending so much towards making Taraba State conducive and safe for road users through the construction and dualization of new roads in the state, donation of operational vehicles and inauguration of the state Road Safety Advisory Council (SARSAC).
Commending the efforts of various stakeholders for their commitment towards taming the tide of accidents in the state, CC Selina revealed that their various collaborative efforts had led to the Score Card on road traffic crash reduction in the state.
“We have a total of 64 road crashes in 2022 as against 98 in 2021, number of vehicles involved 88, in 2022 as against 150 in 2021. Number of people involved 345 in 2022 as against 573 in 2021, number injured 163 in 2022, as against 362 in 2021 and number killed 16 in 2022 as against 22 in 2021 respectively”. She stated.
In his speech at the occasion, the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku, assured the FRSC Taraba State Sector command, that his administration would not relent on its various contributions towards ensuring the safety of roads in the state.
The governor who who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Home Affairs, Ahmed Kara, advised road users especially drivers to always check the expiring date of their tyres before Puting them to use even as he encouraged drivers to cooperate with Roadsafety officers and operate according to traffic rules.
The governor applauded the Taraba State Command of FRSC under the leadership of its Sector Commander, CC Selina Williams, for their commitment and resilience towards ensuring safety of roads across the state.
He pointed out that, the command’s relentless effort was seriously making positive impact as the rate of accidents on roads in the the state had drastically reduced.
Earlier, the Galadima of Muri, Alh. Abas Tafida and his counterpart, the representative of Kur Jibu, called on the government to deliberately device means of assisting drivers to make it easy for them to afford quality tyres and other pair parts of their vehicles to prevent accidents on the highways.
The Royal fathers who commended the Sector Commander, CC Selina Williams for her positive impacts in the state towards curbing road accidents, further called on road users to avoid “eyes service” but continue to faithfully observe traffic rules while on the roads in order to live long.
In their separate good will messages, heads of security agencies, Chairmen of transport Unions, as well as other political office holders in the state, all kicked against the intake of illicit drugs among drivers and advised them to always go on medical check to ensure they are sound to drive, even as they charged FRSC to ensure that all drivers were qualified and had appropriately acquired their driving licences.
Meanwhile, the occasion witnessed free eye treatment for drivers. There was a lecture on care of the eyes and drama presentation by NYSC corp members.
