The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Friday intensified sensitisation on the COVID-19 safety measures as released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to all motorists and road users in Benue.
The State Sector Commander, Mr Aliyu Baba, who led a team of Regular Marshals to various motor parks in Makurdi, said that the exercise was ongoing simultaneously across the 23 local governments in the state.
Addressing motorists at Benue Links Park, the commander said that every motor park in the state must have running water, hand sanitisers and ensure that passengers wore face masks and their temperature tested before boarding.
He said that any passenger whose temperature was above the approved degrees between 35 and 37 should not be allowed to board any vehicle and should be reported immediately to relevant authorities.
He specifically appealed to passengers to provide correct information for manifest should in case there was need to notify them of any case of COVID-19 involving any passenger who boarded the same vehicle with them.
Baba further disclosed that the corps had penalised over 80 motorists within the last one month for overloading and breaking COVID-19 safety measures.
“It is going on across all the 23 local governments. The number of people penalised in the last one month in the state for overloading was over 80.
“We have also interfaced with all the unions and any park that is not following the laid-down guidelines will be closed down,” the FRSC boss warned.
Baba also warned that with the resumption of interstate movement in the country the highest means of transmission through transportation was land transportation and urged all road users to be mindful of the COVID-19 safety measures.
“Now that we have resumed interstate movement, the highest means of transmission through transportation is by land transport because this is where most of us follow. Therefore, we must be very careful.
“I understand that the use of face masks is not too comfortable but it is a necessity now to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, I appeal to all road users to always use them.
“If any passenger beside you is not putting on face mask, please ensure that such a person does not board the same vehicle with you,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FRSC commander was seen in several locations inspecting parks and vehicles within the state capital to ensure that they obey the COVID-19 guidelines.
The team also visited Nyanya Park, Pleasure Travels Park and other major motor parks within the state capital during the exercise. (NAN)