Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has called out government officials, military and paramilitary officers as major defaulters of traffic rules, urging an end to the practice.

Represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tammy Danagogo, at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) ‘2023 Ember Months Road Safety Campaign Flag-off’ in Port Harcourt, the governor stressed that it was the duty of government officials and armed forces personnel to ensure total compliance with extant traffic laws.

He said: “I want to use this opportunity to inform the general public that road safety is everybody’s business. We, as a government, would support the federal road safety agency in the management of traffic in Nigeria. I hereby call on all of us, the government officials, military officers, paramilitary officers, drivers and passengers, to see obedience to traffic rules as our obligations.

“ I want to say that the people, who violate traffic rules with impunity, are government, military and paramilitary officers, because we believe that we are big, and that must stop.”

The theme of the event, which was ‘speed thrills, but kills; drive responsibly and avoid overloading’ sensitised the public and sister agencies on preventive measures and what to do in the event of emergency.

In his welcome address, the Sector Corps Commander, Christopher Kuje, said it was important for Nigerians and road users to assimilate the theme, against the backdrop that Nigeria has the second highest road fatalities among the 193 countries of the world.

Also speaking, the Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone 6 headquarters, Port Harcourt, ACM Jonathan Owoade, expressed the need for sensitisation this period preceding the Yuletide.
IN another development, Governor Seyi Makinde, yesterday, appealed to the Nigeria Police Force to reduce the number of roadblocks to encourage investors to Oyo State.

He made the appeal while hosting the new Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) for Zone 11, Paul Odama, who paid him a courtesy visit in Ibadan.

Addressing his visitor, the governor lauded the Oyo Police Command and its synergy with other security agencies to make the state one of the safest in the country.

He pledged support for the force to continually discharge its duties creditably.

Earlier, the AIG thanked the governor for supporting the state command in the area of logistics.