FG to restore sanity on highway

ABUJA—Vice President Namadi Sambo said yesterday that the present administration was committed to ensuring safety of lives and property of motorists plying the nation’s highways.

Sambo, who spoke as the guest of honour at the 2nd Annual Lecture Series 2010 organised by the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, explained that it was on this vision that the government was revitalizing the transport sector with the construction of major highway and  expansion of existing ones.
Speaking at the lecture with the theme: “Decade of action for road safety: Imperatives for developing economies”, the vice president noted that road accident had become a major cause of violent death in Africa.
Sambo, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, however, called on the private sector to collaborate with the Federal Government in the drive to reduce road traffic crashes and attendant human and material loss in Nigeria.
According to him, “it has become extremely important for government and the private sector to join hands to drastically reduce this ugly trend. Hence I consider this lecture series very important and timely.”
The Vice President stressed further that, “let me therefore use this opportunity to call on all stakeholders in the transport sector to come and partner with government in this regard. We need an efficient transport system to join the league of the most developed nations in the world by the year 2020.
“Similarly we have an efficient transportation system we must take and ensure the regulation against indiscipline on our highways. Hence government will firmly support FRSC in eradicating road traffic crashes by ensuring the enabling environment and the resources needed for them to carry out their functions.
“And I am happy to note that that the over the years the statutory allocation to the FRSC has increased and will continue to increase. Accordingly government support and the funding of the road safety corps towards a crash free Nigeria remain unwavering”, he said.
On his part, the guest lecturer  Mr. Kirian Kumar Kapila “each year nearly 1.3 million people die across the world as a result of road crashes – more than 3000 each day – and more than half of this people are not travelling in a car. 40 to 50 million more people sustain injuries from crashes, and these injuries are an important cause of disability worldwide.”
While saying that road traffic crashes can be prevented, Kapila who was represented by Mr Andrian Walsh noted that “experience suggests that an adequately funded lead agency and a national plan or strategy with measurable targets is crucial for a sustainable response to read safety campaign.”
The Chairman of the occasion, Prince Michael of Kent on his part lamented that the good efforts of the FRSC in taming the ugly monster of road traffic crashes in Nigeria since its inception 22 years ago have remained largely unrecognised.
He said “experience across the world suggest that if adequately funded, a lead agency and a national plan or strategy will lead to the reduction of  road accidents and  a sustained response to road safety. Here in Nigeria on the other hand under the leadership of the Federal Road Safety Corps you have a sound plan and developing resources to make real change.
“I congratulate you all on the work you do to reduce casualties in Nigeria where the Corps is seen as a beacon and inspiration to many neighbouring countries. Through the West Africa Road safety organization through to the international Road safety community.
“For far too long your work has been little appreciated and the example you set in tackling this enormous challenge in an organized and efficient way has gone unrecognised. Your disciplined approach is doing much to help us the reach the ambitious casualty reduction targets being set across Africa as part of the Decade of Action to which I know that Nigeria is fully committed.”
The major highlight of the lecture was the induction of 22 celebrities drawn from the Nigerian film industry (Nollywood) and the media as Special Marshals of the FRSC.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Odein Ajumogobia and the Minister of Police Affairs Adamu Maina Waziri as well as Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Alhaji Bala Mohammed were among dignitaries who witnessed the event.

Posted: at 3-11-2010 11:43 AM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

Communication is said to have been effective when it serves its intended purpose. In a situation where there is one kind of noise or the other, then there is what is called communication failure/breakdown. With regard to this, WHAT I HAVE READ HERE IS NOTHING BUT NOISE.

---

Posted: at 5-11-2010 09:56 AM (13 years ago) | Hero

PLEASE LET THEM ALSO RESTORE SANITY IN THE COUNTRY

Posted: at 6-11-2010 01:13 PM (13 years ago) | Upcoming