FCCPC advocates consensus to actualise SDGs by 2030

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has called for a consensus between transport operators and regulators to reduce the rate of fatality nationwide and actualise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Babatunde Irukera, made this call in Abuja at a one day joint stakeholders forum with the theme, ‘Safe haulage operations for sustainable road usage in Nigeria’ organised by the FCCPC in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

According to Irukera, if the transportation industry can forge a proper consensus with the regulators on guiding principles, it will address safety and traffic management issues and road infrastructure more durable than expected.

Like the implementation of the use of seat belts, the FCCPC EVC called for the implementation of compulsory use of speed limit, tracking devices and hour counters to monitor how many hours a vehicle is in operation.

His words: “The most important thing is for us to agree on some guiding principles to what is acceptable and what is not acceptable and operation of road haulage.

“The key issues are safety, protection of lives and vehicles and durability of road infrastructure as well as traffic management. We should be able to operate speed limit hours in haulage as well as tracking devices and hour counters to monitor how many hours a vehicle is in operation.

“We should be able to operate speed limit hours in haulage as well as tracking devices and hour counters to monitor how many hours a vehicle is in operation.

“If we can come up with these principles and there is consensus between industries and regulators then the appropriate tools and mechanisms will be the next stage.”

In his remarks, FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi who acknowledged that the road transport sector contributes significantly to overall employment of many countries, regretted that 1.3 million people die yearly with more than 50 million injured on world roads.

According to Oyeyemi, of the high number of people killed and injured, more than 85 percent were said to be from low and middle income countries (LMICs), lamenting that, in Nigeria, more than 10 crashes occurred yearly with an average of over 5000 deaths.

He added: “This figure is unacceptable and therefore, there must be deliberate efforts by all stakeholders in the road safety sector to take action that will promote sanity on Nigerian roads. The Corps, in line with its mandate of creating a safer motoring environment, has always thrived strategically in designing, coordinating and implementing initiatives towards addressing drivers’ risk behaviours which include, drunk driving, distracted driving, excessive and inappropriate speed, non-use of crash helmet and seat belt among others.

“I am happy that this partnership with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) will contribute towards addressing the challenges of road safety in our dear country as well as the actualization of the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy II (2021 – 2030).

“I have no doubt that this partnership will go a long way in promoting effective road safety that will bring about social and economic development in our nation.”