Vice President Kashim Shettima has canvassed local and international collaboration to enhance safety on Nigerian roads.
Shettima gave the charge yesterday at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) 8th annual lecture series in Abuja, said the government recognises road crashes as major public health challenges with socio-economic consequences and is committed to saving lives and promoting a sustainable road transport system.
While assuring the FRSC management of support, the vice president said, “We are aware that the FRSC Amendment Bill has passed third reading at the House of Reps and is awaiting concurrence at the Senate. I wish to assure you that the government will continue to promote compliance with global best practices in road safety by supporting innovations that strengthen the Corps to ensure compliance with road safety laws and regulations.”
He tasked all road safety stakeholders to collaborate and ensure that crash fatalities are reduced by 50 per cent in 2030, noting that “I wish to commend the organisers of the annual lecture series for a well-thought-out platform to advance road safety. I also urge you all to deliberate on practicable and applicable measures that will sanitise our highways with a view to achieving the target of 50 per cent reduction of crash fatalities/injuries by the year 2030.”
Also, the secretary of the government of the federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, said the theme of the 8th FRSC lecture series, ‘Road safety management and emerging transportation trends: Global partnership and optimal performance’ is timely, noting that “the theme becomes relevant against contemporary developments in global road transport system which in itself requires commensurate innovations at ensuring safety in the road transport sub-sector.”
The FRSC corps marshal, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, said the lecture series is a critical tool for raising awareness of road crashes as a major public health concern.
Mohammed stated that despite FRSC’s sustained enforcement, advocacy, and public enlightenment campaigns, Nigeria still records an average of 5,000 deaths and over 31,000 injuries annually from road crashes, and these figures underscore the urgency for more coordinated action.
According to him, the National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) provides a blueprint for such collaboration, while the National Road Safety Advisory Council (NaRSAC), chaired by the vice president, is expected to galvanise federal and state agencies, private sector players, and civil society groups into an effective partnership for safer roads.
He also expressed optimism that the pending FRSC Amendment Bill, once passed by the Senate, would strengthen traffic enforcement legislation and improve personnel welfare, thereby enhancing service delivery.
