NYSC, NURTW, others to benefit from road safety campaign

The 11th edition of the Nigerian Breweries Plc (NB) ‘Don’t Drink and Drive Campaign’ has expanded its coverage to include National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Tanker and Luxury Bus Drivers, Tricycle and Okada Riders, as well as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to make more impact.
     
The expansion, according to the NB’s Chief Executive Officer, Jordi Borrut Bel, is an attempt to reach more stakeholders in the transport sector as well as launch the campaign in NYSC orientation camps around the country to make youths agents of change to imbibe and drive the message.
      
The NB boss, who mentioned this in Lagos at the flag-off event of the campaign’s 11 edition, noted that the 2018 version would also involve selected traditional rulers and senior government officers to get their endorsement in support of the campaign which’s sole aim is to create safety awareness on Nigerian roads through the advocacy of responsible consumption of alcohol.
       
The campaign, which is in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), would have its yearly mega rallies in Eket, Akwa Ibom state, Ojota in Lagos State and Minna in Niger State as advised by statistics available by the safety corps body.
       
In his remark, Corps Marshall, FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, said the campaign since inception over a decade ago has not only created awareness of responsible alcohol consumption, but has caused behavioural changes among  commercial drivers as revealed in a pilot research project ongoing.
      
He affirmed that in order to promote responsible drinking, the FRSC has acquired digital breathalyser, a device to test the level of alcohol intake by drivers on the road, which should not exceed 0.05mm.   
     
Oyeyemi who appreciated President Buhari for approving the license for a traffic radio, which according to him would help promote the campaign in various languages when it starts operations.The FRSC boss commended the efforts of NB for holding up to their end of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and reaffirmed the corps’ efforts to prompt response as the end of year approaches.