KRSD SIGNS PACT WITH THE LEAD GOVERNMENT AGENCY ON ROAD SAFETY IN NIGERIA

As part of activities marking the Fifth United Nations Global Road Safety Week, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Thursday, in Abuja, signed a pact with a nongovernmental organisation, Kwapda’as Road Safety Demand (KRSD) Trust Fund. KRSD founded by Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem is in memory of Kwapda’as Sampson Dongban who was killed by unknown motorist in Jos, Plateau State over seven years ago.

The theme of this year’s week is “Leadership for Road Safety”. KRSD demands that FRSC takes leadership in road safety and improve enforcement of traffic laws around schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Highpoint was signing of the document bearing the two demands (Take leadership in road safety and also improve enforcement of traffic laws around schools in the FCT) jointly by the FRSC Sector Commander, Corps Commander Wobin Gora and a board member of KRSD, Mr Ben Atonko. Gora was represented by the command’s second-in-command, Deputy Corps Commander SA Ochi. Speaking before signing the pact, the sector commander stated that the command had never rested on its oars. He explained, “We carry out studies. Where there’re deficiencies on road furniture, we make recommendations to government. “A lot has been done on school signs, especially public schools. Traffic lights that were bad have been fixed. “With these demands, more will be done in the area of school for safety of school children.” Gora said FCT is covered by seven Zebra locations, so it takes less than 10 minutes for men of FRSC to arrive a scene of crash. “We’re running at a very high speed as far as safety of lives in FCT is concerned,” he maintained, adding that patrol activities and traffic control are 24 hours. Gora assured the public that those who hit pedestrians and run away would henceforth be apprehended. He stressed, “Those that got away with those acts aren’t likely to get away today. “Technology is improving, our work is improving. If you knock down someone, you won’t get away with it.”

Speaking earlier, the Programme Manager of KRSD, Ayomide Akinpelu stated that KRSD’s demands followed a Star Rating for Schools data collection exercise  the NGO did around schools in Abuja last year under the safe school zone project. According to Akinpelu, “We noticed that there’re not adequate road signs. Politicians during election periods and job advertisers cover up the available ones with posters. “We demand improved enforcement of road traffic laws.” He charged everyone to speak out and save lives because if one has not directly suffered road traffic crash, someone they know might have. This followed after KRSD received a commitment from the FCT minister early this year to improve road infrastructure around schools in the Federal Capital Territory.

The event which started with a walk from the Novare Mall (Shoprite) in Wuse Zone 5 ended at the FRSC sector command in Zone 7, Abuja.