- Inaugurates Committee On Fed Roads
By Patrick Mgbodo/Dinma Bigwa
In a bold initiative to enhance highway safety, the Federal Government and Delta State Government have united under the Joint National Transport Safety Committee to address the alarming rate of road crashes, particularly those involving heavy-duty trucks.
This strategic move, aimed at enforcing strict compliance with safety regulations to prevent frequent accidents involving trucks and other large vehicles, kicked off with the inauguration of the Delta State Chapter of the Committee in Asaba, the state capital.
The National Executive Chairman of the Committee, Taiwo Mogbojuri, emphasized their commitment to eliminating human errors on the road through comprehensive reforms.
He outlined the committee’s efforts to ensure full compliance by road users, noting that the Joint National Transport Safety Committee, established in July 2018 and approved by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), spans across relevant government agencies and transport sector stakeholders.
Mogbojuri stressed the critical situation: “Nigerians have long experienced crashes on highways, largely due to trucks. This year alone, we’ve seen numerous accidents in zones like Port Harcourt, Lagos, and Kogi. We can’t ignore this growing menace, which is why the Joint National Safety Committee was formed to reduce these incidents across our highways.
“Statistics from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) revealed a troubling picture: in 2018 alone, 650 tankers and trailers were involved in crashes, with over 90 per cent of these vehicles being over 30 years old and used for haulage transportation. This highlights the urgent need for stringent reforms.’’
The committee, supported by the National Security Adviser, has a national plan for promoting minimum safety standards for trucks. It includes representatives from the NSA’s office, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Inspector General of Police, and ministries of Works, Labour, and Transport, along with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other stakeholders.
Additionally, he said the committee will appeal to the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Works, for the construction and maintenance of road networks in the south-south geopolitical zones to ensure safer travel conditions.
The high point of the meeting was the inauguration of the Delta State Chapter of the Committee headed by Mr. Armstrong Okoisor, who also doubles as the regional coordinator for the south-south geopolitical zone.
Also present at the inauguration ceremony was the Ogun State Chairman and regional coordinator for Southwest, Mr Emmanuel Elegbede, and the National Public Relations Officer of the Committee, Mr. Kingsley Njokwoba, among other national officers.
