By Ibironke Ariyo
The Executive Director, Still Waters Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Dr. Femi Lanre-Oke, has called on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to enforce laws against “one-way” driving in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Lanre-Oke made this demand in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
He expressed concern over the alarming cases of “one-way streets” (travel in the opposite direction) in the FCT.
“There are many cases of people committing this offense on the airport road, which represents a major threat to road safety.
“The way people drive in reverse is becoming very alarming. I had never experienced anything like this before. I mean, people just can’t drive recklessly in the morning, afternoon, evening, and even at night.
“Unfortunately they always do this, some of them reverse onto the road,” said Lanre-Oke.
Lanre-Oke, senior pastor of Jesus Praise Evangelical Ministries International (JPEMI), attributed the problem to lack of law enforcement and public awareness.
He appealed to the FRSC to deploy more personnel to the area, especially during the Christmas period when there is heavy vehicle traffic.
“The FRSC must take urgent action to resolve this issue. More personnel need to be mobilized to the area, especially during the Christmas season.
“Public education and enforcement of traffic laws must also increase.
“The FRSC should make public announcements on radio, television and social media to raise public awareness about the dangers of driving in one direction,” the cleric said.
The head of the NGO called for greater public education and enforcement of traffic laws, emphasizing that sanctions must be imposed on violators to create a deterrent effect.
He said: “The FRSC must work with other law enforcement agencies such as the police and military to ensure effective enforcement of traffic laws.
“They should also impose sanctions on violators, such as fines, license suspension or even imprisonment, to have a deterrent effect on others,” Lanre-Oke said.
Lanre-Oke, who is also a visiting professor at the American University of Peace and Governance (AUPG), in the USA, highlighted that combating “one-way traffic” requires a joint effort from all interested parties.
This includes the government, the FRSC, the police, the military and the public.
The cleric also appealed to the public to cooperate with the FRSC and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that the roads are safe for all users.
Lanre-Oke expressed optimism that with concerted efforts, the menace of one-way driving could be contained and road safety in the FCT could significantly improve.
“The government must provide the necessary resources and support to the FRSC and other law enforcement agencies so that they can effectively enforce traffic laws.
“The public should also report any incidents of one-way driving to authorities and educate their friends and family about the dangers of one-way driving.
“I am optimistic and believe that with concerted efforts, we will be able to stop the scourge of one-way driving and improve road safety in the FCT,” he said.
