In Ekiti State, forty one people lost their lives between January and September this year in one hundred and six accidents recorded by the Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC in the state.
The Zonal Commanding Officer FRSC, in charge of Zone 8, Mr Uche Omeje made this known at this year’s Ember Months Campaign in Ado Ekiti.
The Ekiti State Ember Months Campaign put up by the officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps with the theme, ‘Enjoy Safe Road Trip in Ember months, avoid night travelling” was attended by members of drivers union, Market Women, Political office holders and association of proprietors in the state.
While flagging off the programme, Ekiti State Deputy Governor Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi warned against the sale of alcoholic drinks across the motor parks, saying that consumption of hard drinks was also a factor causing road crashes.
Otunba Egbeyemi who commended the officials of FRSC for working towards ensuring an accident- free roads promised that Ekiti state government would continue to give maximum support in that regards.
Breaking down the number of carnage recorded in Ekiti State, the Assistant Corps Marshall, Mr Uche Omeje explained that six hundred and thirty three people were involved in motor accidents while two hundred and ninety two were injured and sixty persons had members of the their body seriously affected between January and September this year.
Mr Omeje blamed some of the accidents and fatalities recorded on excessive speeding, lack of regards to road rules and regulations, impatience and poor perception of many drivers on highways
Mr Omeje observed that it was the task of every Nigerian to always ensure accidents free highways by embracing the use of seat belt and avoid driving under the influence of alcohol.
Also, the FRSC State Commander, Mrs Funmilayo Akinlade who
solicited the support of transport workers in ensuring safety on roads especially during the Ember months, observed that inability of many to obey the traffic rules had contributed to numbers of accidents on the highways, especially in Ekiti.
Mrs Akinlade urged Motorists to shun the use of phone, alcoholic drinks, overloading, dangerous overtaking and other factors which had become the habit of drivers especially while driving.
In their separate comments, the Chairmen of both Drivers unions in Ekiti, NURTW, Mr Osho Farotimi and his counterpart from RTEAN Chief Rotimi Olanbiwonu who appreciated the officials of FRSC for the educative programme, maintained that members of their unions would continue to operate within the armbits of the laws guiding them on the highways
Mr Olanbiwonninu and Mr Farotimi used the occasion to call on government to address all the failed portions of roads across the state.
