Ekiti records 41 deaths from road crashes in 8 months -FRSC

ACM Hygenius Omeje, Zonal Commanding Officer, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) R8HK Headquarters, Ilorin, Kwara, says the corps recorded 41 deaths from road crashes, from January to September in Ekiti.

Omeje made the disclosure on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti, during the official inauguration of the “Ember Months” Campaign on Safety.

According to the zonal commanding officer, the corps recorded 102 Road Traffic Crash (RTC), 27- fatal, 60 -serious 15 – minor, number of people involved – 633 and number injured – 292.

Omeje, who described as worrisome, the negative attitude of Nigerian road users to observing safety, called for attitudinal change in order to achieve enjoyable motoring on the roads.

He said,: “the next time you are behind the wheels be safety conscious. Always have the right attitude, do not speed, not overtake wrongly and do not drink alcohol while driving among others.”

Omeje, however, thanked Ekiti Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi for his administration’s unalloyed supports to the corps in ensuring safety on the state roads at all times.

Inaugurating the ember month’s sensitisation and operations, the Ekiti Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi advocated ban on sale of alcohol at motor parks in the state.

Egbeyemi urged stakeholders, particularly commercial drivers’ union leaders, to cooperate with security agencies to outlaw the sale of liquor and other intoxicants in motor parks in the state.

Egbeyemi said that a high rate of RTC could be attributed to driving under the influence of alcohol.
“You can’t buy what you do not see, if your members (commercial drivers) do not have access to alcohol at the parks, they may do away with drunk-driving.

“Union leaders must always organise sensitisation programmes on safety measures for their members regularly,” the deputy governor said.

Earlier, the Sector Commander of FRSC in Ekiti, Mrs Elizabeth Akinlade, lauded the cooperation of stakeholders with the corps for it to achieve its mandate in the state.

She described safety as a collective responsibility, urging against practices that could cause deaths or injuries to road users during the ember months and beyond.

Present at the event were the Ekiti Chairman of National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Chief Oso Farotimi, his counterpart, Chairman Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN), Mr Joseph Rotimi and Chairpersons, Ekiti Road Safety Wives Association, Mrs Abimbola Fanola as well as members of the Special Marshal among others.