By Yahaya Idris, Abuja.
Federal Capital Territory Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has frowned at frequent road crashes in the territory, urging the stakeholders involved to come together towards seeking for lasting solution in order to change the narrative.
The Minister said there was need for adoption of multi-disciplinary efforts in tackling the growing cases of road crashes in the Federal Capital Territory.
Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, who was ably represented at the occasion by Acting Secretary of FCT PHC Board, Dr. Iwot Ndaeyo made the call at the flag-off ceremony of the strategic collaborative campaign against reckless driving tagged, “Away With One Way Violation of Traffic: The Evils of Reckless Driving” decried a situation where the nation’s capital is ranked 2nd position on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Statistical Digest for the 1st quarter of 2021 Road Traffic Accidents.
The minister while making reference to data from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), pointed that causative factors of road traffic crashes in the FCT (2nd quarter 2020) are multifaceted, just as she regretted that many lives have been lost, with life ambitions of several others truncated by disability resulting from road traffic crashes.
She, therefore, stressed the need for multi stakeholder collaboration in addressing the issues of road crashes which are caused by multiple factors.
In her words, “As with other human challenges with multifactorial causation, multi-disciplinary efforts would be needed to address it. This will include multi stakeholder collaboration in public enlightenment, mass mobilisation and awareness creation, redoubling of the efforts of the relevant government agencies and parastatals, and renewed commitment of the relevant officers in their assigned responsibilities.”
A press statement issued on Thursday 14, 2021 by Austine Elemue, S.A Media To FCT Minister of State said the Minister while commending the chief convener of the coalition of partners, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) for strategically converting what would have just ended a one day mourning for their deceased member, Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad Ibrahim, to a project that would deliver public good and safety, she however said the Administration was not only concerned, but committed in ridding the FCT of drug abuse which fuels road crashes.
She added; “In the next few days, I will be convening a roundtable on the modalities for sustaining this project especially as the end of year festivities unfold. Let me also use this opportunity to appeal to all the residents of the FCT to be their brother’s and sister’s keepers; a good Samaritan that will assist in rescuing and evacuating the distressed and dying victims of road crashes before they bleed to death.
“I most heartily appeal to all those who have the ungodly hobby of video-recording fellow citizens in pains and pangs from the injuries sustained during crashes and upload such horrible sights unto social media platforms instead of assisting them to desist from this act. Please treat others exactly how you’ll love to be treated.
“We are counting on the NURTW to imbibe behavioral change while the relevant road traffic management agencies continue to give their all for better results.
In his contributions, chairman FCT Nigeria Medical Association, Dr. Job Amodu, decried the wave of one way violation of traffic and evil of reckless driving in the nation’s capital, even as he pledged to sustain the campaign.
According to him, “Earlier this year, we heard the rude shock of our senior colleague of the class of 89 of the Ahmadu Bello University, Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad Ibrahim, who was driving on a Sunday afternoon, thinking that the road was free and decided to engage in driving against traffic which caused the unfortunate loss of the deceased.
“We decided to take this campaign to another level by gathering ourselves and remind ourselves of the dangers associated with reckless driving because a lot of people said FCT roads are very good, and as a result a lot of drivers have mismanaged the roads. So we are here today to call ourselves to order and put measures in place to sustain this campaign”.
He, however, warned that until all stakeholders start working the talk, making so many arrest and making to people pay for traffic offences, Nigerians will not stop violating traffic rules.
