ROTIMI ASHER
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has solicited for media collaboration to improve Road Safety in Nigeria.
The Corps Marshal, FRSC, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi made this appeal recently during the Nigeria Auto Journalist Association (NAJA) Annual Training Workshop held at Nero Hotel, Sangotedo, Lekki, Ajah, Lagos.
Presenting a paper, FRSC Collaborating with the Media For Improving Road Safety in Nigeria, Oyeyemi asserted that road safety is bound to pose a significant challenge in a nation like Nigeria, where 12 million registered vehicles ply 204,000 km of total road network.
According to him, level of road safety challenges across the country has been what made government at all levels to evolve measures to address the road safety problems overtime with the establishment of National Road Safety Commission in 1974 which culminated into other States’ Road Safety institutions and Traffic Management Agencies like Lagos State Transport Management Agencies(LASTMA), TRACE and others.
“As a result of this”, Oyeyemi continued, “there has been a downward trending in the incidence of road crashes and fatality, but the gap must be further narrowed through concerted effort with stakeholders like the media and others.
“Originally, the Federal Road Safety Commission’s modus operandi commenced with Public Enlightenment and Enforcement, because public awareness and interest in Road Safety was minimal at the time. The need to project PE for better outcomes was important. This is where the media comes in.”
” This year, we realised that Public Education is key in achieving our goals which are: improvement of fleet regulation and sustained stakeholders consultation, collaboration with states on improved road safety administration, improvement of enforcement and public education, reduction of RTCs by 15% and reduction of fatalities by 25%, hence its inclusion as a key strategy.”
Oyeyemi stressed the importance of the media towards achieving the road safety goals, adding that road safety awareness and education can be easily propagated better and faster, when the media plays its part.
“This,” he explained, “can be done through proper and timely communication on issues of road safety by FRSC through the media. This would be immensely beneficial to Nigerians, especially on contemporary developments.”
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