By Ibironke Ariyo
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Malam Shehu Mohammed has expressed optimism that Nigeria can achieve a 50 per cent reduction in road traffic deaths by 2030, in line with the United Nations’ Decade of Action for Road Safety.
Mohammed disclosed this during a two-day workshop on road safety in Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, organized by the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was held in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Road Assessment Program (iRAP).
The seminar aims to assess the impact of road safety in the region with the aim of reducing the number of deaths from road accidents by 50% by 2030.
This was contained in a statement issued by the marshal of the corps on Wednesday in Abuja. The theme of the seminar is: “Implementation of the Road Safety Action Plan for the Decade”
It focuses on strategies to minimize road accidents and road deaths in Africa.
Mohammed said strategies were being developed to combat the challenges of motorcycles, which he said had become an important part of public transport in Africa.
He also said that the challenge of managing speed in Africa, which accounts for about half of road deaths in the region, had been addressed and recommendations made.
He reiterated the need for a mutual understanding of the roles played by different emergency agencies in emergency management. “At FRSC, we are working tirelessly to reduce the number of road accidents and deaths on our roads. Our goal is to reduce the number of road accident deaths by 50% by 2030.
“This is part of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety.
“To achieve this, we are intensifying our public awareness campaigns, strengthening law enforcement and strengthening partnerships with stakeholders at all levels.
“Road safety remains a shared responsibility, in which everyone must play their part. We must all work together to make our roads safer.
“We urge motorists to avoid reckless driving, overloading, speeding and any other problems that can lead to premature death or avoidable accidents,” he said.
He noted that the FRSC has made significant progress in reducing road accidents in Nigeria.
Mohammed said that there was a 51% reduction in road traffic accidents (RTC) during the special patrol operations of Eid-ul-Kabir 2024 compared to the same period in 2023 across the country.
He attributed the success to the corps’ strategic approach, including improved patrolling operations, enhanced vehicle inspection and collaboration with state governments. The FRSC boss said the body has taken full advantage of the opportunity to reduce the number of deaths by enforcing laws and educating road users on safety.
Mohammed called on Nigerians to support the efforts of the FRSC in complying with traffic rules and regulations.
“We will not relinquish our efforts until we achieve this goal and sanity is restored on Nigerian roads,” he said.
The messages of goodwill received during the opening ceremony were addressed by Mr. Others.
The activity was attended by Mr. Mohammed Omer Mukhier-Abuzein of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Dr. Ahned Idris, Secretary General Kenya Red Cross Society, Z Partnership (GRSP)
Other participants are Mrs. Rachael Nganwa from iRAP, Ms. Agnieszka Krasnolucka from the FIA Foundation, Ms. Binta Sako from the World Health Organization and Mr. Davis Chirchir, Cabinet Secretary of the Kenyan Ministry of Roads and Transport. Countries and organizations present at the workshop are Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Mali, Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria, UN Road Safety Envoy, Road Safety Partnership, IRAP, Vision Spring, Foundation Fia, The Gambia, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Rwanda and the World Bank.
Participants were treated to a practical demonstration of the use of iRAP tools for the assessment of African roads, discussions on the reduction of road accidents, group photography, among others.
NAN reports that in September 2020, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/74/299 on “Improving Global Road Safety”, declaring the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021- 2030.
The UN has set itself an ambitious goal: prevent at least 50% of road deaths and injuries by 2030.
WHO and UN regional commissions, in collaboration with other partners in the UN Road Safety Cooperation, developed a Global Plan for the Decade of Action, which was published in October 2021.
The Global Plan aligns with the Stockholm Declaration, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to road safety. She called for continuous improvements in the design of roads and vehicles.
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