The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has pledged its support to an advocacy programme for road users by a group known as The Road Users Awareness and Welfare initiative (RUAWI).
Disclosing this on Wednesday during a courtesy by the group lead by its chairman, Mr Oludayo Bello, the Deputy Corps Marshal, Susan Ada Ajenge, mni, who represented the Corps Marshal, Mr Dauda Biu, said the FRSC is ready to partner with RUAWI on its advocacy programme. She said there is an urgent need for continuous public awareness for drivers and passengers to be safety conscious on the road adding that road safety is everybody’s business.
She also emphasised the importance of drivers desisting from driving under the influence of alcohol.
In his speech, chairman of RUAWI, Mr Bello said the group is seeking collaborations with the government, corporate organisations, security agencies and so on to further enlighten road users on the function of road safety and to come together to find lasting solution to untimely deaths on Nigerian roads.
He said, ‘‘One of the major things we want the public to know is that the road safety meant well for the public but there are lot of sabotaging, people sabotaging the effort of the government, it is even within but when you know your right on Nigerian roads, look at the issue of passengers insurance, somebody that pays a certain fee to be insured doesn’t even know he had already paid an insurance fee. We want the public to be aware that there are some things that is going on that they just need to learn, know, understand and know how to go about it but if nobody is talking about it, then definitely, we wouldn’t be able to get any result and even government will not be able to get any result,” he said.
Bello explained that the initiative intends to raise one million volunteers within the next 6 months for the programme. He believes that with the collaboration and involvement of the volunteers, the whole information will move like wildlife and it will cover the whole country.
