Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Poised to reduce road crashes in Ogun, the state government has vowed arrest and prosecute alcoholic vendors and consumers of illicit drugs in all motor parks across the state.
The chairmen of the Ogun State Interim Committee on Transportation, Sunday Adeniyi, gave this position on Friday, while speaking during a seminar on “Road Safety Driving During Festive Season” organized by the committee in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Adeniyi said the Dapo Abiodun’s administration was collaborating with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for possible arrest and prosecution of alcoholic dealers and illicit drugs at Ogun motor parks.
He observed that consumption of alcoholic beverages by commercial drivers was responsible for majority of the road crashes witnessed over the years, declaring “the state will do everything possible to eradicate alcoholic consumption by commercial drivers operating in the state”.
In his presentation at the seminar, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) in the state, Clement Oladele, said no fewer than 338 died from the road crashes recorded in Ogun highway corridors between January and 20th December.
The FRSC boss explained that 50 per cent of the death occurred at diversion points of which trucks and other articulated vehicles were responsible for about 80 per cent of the total road crashes recorded so far in the Ogun corridors.
While attributing causes of the crashes to over-speeding, wrongful overtaken around construction zones as well as break failure among others, Oladele, said FRSC was prepared to prosecute truck owners found culpable of causing road crashes and ensure that compensations are paid to accident victims.