Paschal Emeka, Abuja
Coalition of Road Safety NGOs in Nigeria (CORSAN) comprising of over 100 registered bodies in Nigeria has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the FCT Traffic Regulation Bill into law.
The Coalition made the call in its resolutions on road traffic safety issues in the country as parts of activities to mark this year’s World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims.
They informed that the FCT Road Traffic Regulation Bill was passed by both red and green chambers of the National Assembly in 2018 but was not assented to by President Muhammed Buhari.
Briefing the press over the weekend in Abuja, CORSAN Board of Trustees Chairman, Prince Julius Ogu and Prince Fidelis Nnadi Director of Media and Publicity said: “The
Coalition has observed and is worried that the Federal Capital Territory records high rate of road crash deaths and injuries annually which the Coalition attributes to inadequate manpower and obsolete road traffic regulation of FCT which was made since 2005 and yet to be reviewed despite \ the increasing road traffic carnages in the Territory.
While also advocating for the Bill to be resuscitated, revived and presented to the National Assembly and re-present same to the President for assent, Prince Julius Ogu reminded the President that Nigeria is a signatory to the implementation of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety whose primary objective is to reduce road crash deaths and injuries by 50% from 2020 to 2030 stressing that without effective regulations and manpower such as the proposed FCT Road Traffic Regulation Act, the objectives may not be achieved, particularly in FCT and other States in Nigeria.
Reacting on the rate of road crash deaths and injuries in FCT roads and Nigeria generally, Prince Fidelis Nnadi who is also a Road Traffic Safety Consultant noted that without effective and updated Road Traffic Act and regulations the road traffic menace will continue to abate as we are confronted with increasing motorization and traffic management gaps in FCT.
“There is no magic that can be applied in road traffic safety management without effective laws and manpower to enforce the law.”
“It is, however, on record and appreciated that the Hon. Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello has been very proactive and supportive in the funding and management of road traffic administration in FCT including the expansion of road network towards easing traffic gridlocks which is commendable,” Nnadi said.
The Coalition therefore, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari who they noted has been a champion of road safety, based on his consistent support, funding and provision of logistics to the Federal Road Safety Commission, (FRSC) to kindly and passionately give assent to the FCT Road Traffic Regulation Bill which will give teeth in effective regulation of road transport and traffic activities that will be directed at curtailing road traffic crashes in FCT.
“We are drawing the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari and National Assembly members that the 2022 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims cannot achieve its purpose of reducing road crash victims when our road traffic administration lacks effective laws and regulation, hence the urgent call for the FCT Road Traffic Act Bill to be given life in accordance with international best practices.