The future of young people in Nigeria, who use the highway and roads to access their schools, is under threat due to rising unsafe mobility practices in the country.
With a lack of respect for zebra crossing and lack of infrastructure such as pedestrian bridges, among others, children and other stakeholders, who gathered in Abuja, insisted the government across Nigeria must make concerted efforts in safeguarding the future of young people.

Speaking at the VIA Programme, which aimed at creating safer mobility awareness among young people, stakeholders at TotalEnergies in Nigeria along with its partners, including Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) said Nigeria must act fast on ensuring school children live to see the future they projected by acquiring education.

With the plan, which prioritises awareness of safe mobility among as many young people as possible and improving their safety on their way to and from school as a priority, the partners presented prizes to two schools in Abuja; GSS, Oronzo with first position and GSS, Gwarimpa that came third. A Lagos-based school; Tolu School came second in the initiative targeted at safe mobility.

Acting General Manager, Education and Inclusion Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Division, Total Energies E&P, Tonye Osifo, said there was a need for the governments to listen and try to address those suggestions and recommendations being raised to ensure the safety of school children.

According to her, the programme offered children, who are key stakeholders in looking for solutions that would reduce road accidents and fatalities so that they can “grow up to fulfill their full potential and positively impact our nation.”

Osifo said education of the youths of the country is key in different ways, adding the organisation is looking at ways to positively impact the academic and economic growth of the country.

She said over 200 schools have taken part in the programme, which is in its second year in Nigeria, adding that the students are the ones facing the issue daily, so their recommendations are critical.

Partnership Manager, Slum2School Africa, Hauwa Yahaya, said while kids leave their houses and go to school, numerous accidents have happened on the roads that threatened their lives.

“This is a challenge that we have identified as something that needs awareness about. There needs to be a policy around protecting children from moving from one place to the other, especially when crossing the road.

“So as much as the road is being made safe for vehicles to go through, we must also know that we have pedestrians. We have kids that walk, we have people that do not have access to cars or means of transportation,” Yahaya said.