The President of the Nigerian Courts of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban -Mensem who is also the founder of Kwapda Road Safety Demand Foundation (KRSD) has harped on the need for road users to be trained and retrained on the usage of road signs to curb the spate of road accidents across the country.
Justice Monica who stated in Abuja at the Foundation’s 10th Anniversary Conference and Awards expressed concern that a good number of motorists on the road are totally ignorant of the road signs, adding that, it is the collective efforts of the Federal Government, agencies, NGOs and other stakeholders in the transport sector to train road users and update them on their driving skills.
According to her, KRSD has reached out to construction companies to train their drivers as very few of them have responded adding that insurance companies are also not doing much.
She further advised that other things to be done to curb spate of road accidents is for the government to enforce heavy fines for anyone who commits road crashes offences.
Speaking during the session panel at the event, the Minister of Transportation, Hon Rotimi Amaechi said for the country to reduce road crash accidents, there is need to enforce consequences to people who are found guilty.
According to Ameachi, “For change to happen, a law should be passed to criminalize traffic offenders and to ensure compliance.
“The law of the Road Safety should also be reviewed whereby Road Safety office should be merged with the Ministry of Transportation. If Road Safety is under my watch, I can take responsibility,” he said.
Also, the Chairman of the occasion and also the Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka said the blood bath on our roads is on the increase.
He estimated over 1,000 persons have died in the First quarter of 2021 adding that Road safety is a shared responsibility as the Federal Government only provides framework.
He further said concerted efforts, advocacy, enforcement works round the world have seen remarkable efforts in other countries and Nigeria can also emulate from it.
“We need to go to states because it is a shared responsibility which can’t be done alone. The Federal Road Safety can’t manage the Federal roads in Nigeria.
“It is a shared responsibility by partnering with the NGOs, by building roads to transition with Engineering to ensure drivers are engaged on the road.
“We need enforcement to ensure stiffer penalty for road behaviours and the need for synergy to ensure schools teaches road safety behaviours,” he said.
