|
FRSC Lagos records 56,419 casualties in Lagos
• Presents helmets to motorcyclists
By Moses Akaigwe (igwemos@sunnewsonline)
Friday, September 5, 2008
 |
•Okada
operators after receiving the ‘Indomie’ helmets
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
|
|
No fewer than 56,419 persons died or sustained serious injuries
in road accidents that occurred within Lagos between 1989
and June 2008. This figure includes 10,471 motorcycle crashes
recorded between 1998 and middle of this year in the state,
according to the Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal
Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr Kayode Olagunju.
Addressing commercial motorcycle (okada) operators at the
commission’s office in Lagos, the sector commander disclosed
that the casualties resulted from a total of 75,471 accidents
recorded during the 20-year period, describing the figure
as too high and unacceptable, even as he conceded that there
could have been several unreported cases not accommodated
in the FRSC statistics.
Olagunju, who was speaking at a ceremony during which the
FRSC presented to the okada operators helmets donated by De-United
Foods Plc, said that the 10,471 crashes, involving the motorcyclists
between 1998 and 2008, represented 13.8 percent of total auto
accidents for the period, and blamed the riders for contributing
to the rise in the rate of accidents in the state.
“In the last four years,” the sector commandant
said further, “the crashes have risen by almost 100
percent. Motorcycle operators popularly known as okada riders
in this part of the country have contributed significantly
to the high incidence of accidents in Lagos”.
He accused some of the commercial motorcyclists of many traffic
offences, including operating un-roadworthy bikes, tampering
with the handles of the motorcycles, overloading, riding without
training or licence, being under the influence of alcohol
and drugs, as well as resorting to mob action over slightest
argument with motorists.
Olagunju urged the leaders of the motorcycle riders’
to “flush out” the bad ones, sanitize their operations
and ensure they ride according to traffic regulations.
Earlier, the Corps Marshal and Chief Osita Chidoka, had reminded
hundreds of okada riders at the FRSC base in Ojodu, venue
of the presentation, that all motorcyclists must start wearing
crash helmets from January 1, 2009.
At the end of a question/answer interactive session with his
guests in Pidgin English, during which the riders chorused
“we do”, Chidoka announced that he had entered
into an agreement with them that they (and their passengers)
must wear helmets, ride with genuine driver’s licences,
use approved number plates and refrain from overloading their
machines from January 1, 2009.
He told the transporters that the new regulations, especially
the compulsory wearing of crash helmet by both the riders
and their passengers, should have been introduced much earlier,
because “una don de kill many people”. Okada,
he said, contributes substantially to the high rate of accidents
in the country.
The COMACE, however, explained that he has nothing against
commercial motorcycling which, he said, he used to patronize
on campus, adding that if the motorcyclists complied with
the regulations come next year, neither the police nor the
FRSC marshals would harass them.
The helmets were later presented to the large crowd of okada
riders by Chidoka who like Olagunju, commended the donor,
De-United Foods,(makers of Indomie) whose Managing Director,
Mr. Deepak Finghal, was present for the gesture. Both urged
other organizations to emulate the example.
Olagunju remarked: “Let me also thank the riders’
association – the motorcycle operators Association of
Lagos State (MOALS) – as well as the National Union
of Road Transport Workers and other transport associations
and unions in the state. To the sponsor of this programme,
the donor of the 2,000 helmets, De-United Foods Plc, we say
thank you. But, like Oliver Twist, we want some more. Other
corporate organizations should follow your good steps.”
|
