By Matthew Denis
The Kwara State Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Uchechukwu Wihioka has disclosed that the road traffic crashes has reduced by 45 per cent in the state.
He made the disclosure during the second emergency and first responder trauma training programme held at Banquet Hall, Ilorin last week.
He said, “Road accident has reduced in the state by 45 per cent in the first quarter of the year, and the record was achieved in collaboration with the assistance of members of the press and the public.
“We’ve also intensified high power monitoring on our highways such as Oloru-Bode Saadu-Jebba road. We’ve also introduced camp measures with our officials always there to calm down traffic and road users among other safety measures.”
The Commander emphasised that only proper enlightenment among road users can save lives of accident victims on Nigerian roads.
According to him the training was organised by the FRSC in conjunction with an Australian agency which specialises in trauma management.
Wihioka noted that the event is aimed at training people on safety measures when accident occurs and which will not make them cause more harm to injured victims of road accidents.
“Safety requires a collective measure. It is not for road safety officials alone. It’s for everybody. So, we should be knowledgeable on what to do when on the road. With this, we’ll reduce deaths from road crashes and know the right thing to do not to damage what had already been damaged.
“When you find yourself at the scene of a road crash, don’t be in a hurry to leave the scene. Stop. The moment you stop, you may save a life. With the knowledge already garnered from a seminar like this, you can always package the victim to safety. We should all be safety conscious and be willing to render informed assistance”, he said.
The Kwara State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Aro Yahaya, said that the state government had partnered FRSC in carrying out road safety activities aimed at reducing crashes on the road.
He said that road safety activities can only be carried out in collaboration with other concerned stakeholders, hoping that the seminar would help make road safer and reduce carnage on the roads by 20 per cent.
He said that the state government was committed to improving on road infrastructure in the state, particularly, the ongoing Geri-Alimi Diamond Underpass and Sango-UITH dualisation road, Ilorin, among all other critical ongoing road projects in the state.
“In the event that we’re unable to complete these ongoing projects, I call on incoming administration to complete and put these unique and strategic projects in the state to use for benefits of Nigerians and Kwara”, he said.
