Joe Effiong, Uyo
Akwa Ibom State Government has challenged the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to lay more emphasis on educating road users on safer driving culture through a robust driving orientation and licensing, instead of making punitive measures a priority.
The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong handed down the advice in Uyo on Thursday during an advocacy visit on him by the Sector Commander of the FRSC, Corp Commandant O. S. Ochi, stressed that the regular approach by the FRSC has continued to pitch the officers against most motorists who are usually hostile and defensive at the sight of the officials.
Ememobong said the state of has done its part by providing road infrastructure, which he said has led to the minimal cases of road crashes, but stressed the need for improved road user enlightenment and information sharing amongst the sectors’ stakeholders and the FRSC.
“It is important for the officers of the agency to emphasis more on safer driving culture through a robust driving orientation and licensing in place of punitive measures which has continued to pitch the officers against most motorist who are usually hostile and defensive at the sight of the officials.
“It is much easier and simpler to educate and inform road users about causes of road accident than the usual enforcement of road traffic rules which has often times created enmity between officials of FRSC and the road users”. he said
The Commissioner who reacted to the FRSC report on low rate of road crashes in the state said the feat was as a result of the homogeneous and deliberate investments made by the state government in the provision of quality road network, which he noted has greatly influenced safer driving culture amongst motorists and other road users in the state .
Ememobong told his guests that the present administration has constructed over 1,700Km of roads and bridges across every Local Government Area (LGA) thus enhancing rural accessibility and stimulating economic activities, in addition to the Operation Zero Pothole which is still enforced in the state
He explained that road construction and expansions remains one of the ways the state Akwa Ibom State Government was adopting in linking up the hinterlands as well as to also boost economic participation between the citizens of the state and those from the neighboring states.
He pledged the Ministry’s preparedness to partner the agency in the areas of mass advocacy and road safety campaigns in order to equip the people with the necessary safety knowledge while using the road.
Earlier, the Akwa Ibom State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Corps Commandant O. S. Ochi informed his host that Akwa Ibom State is ranked low on the number of road crashes incidents in the year 2020
Ochi attributed such level of safety in the state to the provision of road infrastructure across the 31 Local Government Areas.
He revealed plans by the FRSC to heighten Ember months Campaign for motorists and other road users for greater awareness and compliance with the highway codes.
While applauding the Information Commissioner for co-opting the FRSC in the state Into the state Strategic Information Management Team, the FRSC Boss used the occasion to extend an invitation to Comrd. Ememobong as Guest Speaker for the Flag Off of Mobilisation Campaign for the Sensitisation of Road Users in the state which he said is billed to take place on the 4th of November, 2020.