…Accounts for 8.4% of accidents – FRSC
By Sarah NEGEDU
The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is the second most-accident prone city in Nigeria according to new data by the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, for the first quarter of 2021.
The road safety management office noted that reported cases of road traffic accidents in Nigeria’s capital city with a population of over 3 million by the last census estimates peaked in the first quarter of 2021 accounting for 8.4 percent of the total number of road crashes nationwide.
The FRSC’s statistical digest for the 1st quarter of 2021, highlights that 278 of the 3301 road traffic accidents, RTAs, indicates that the territory witnessed 518 persons suffering various degrees of injuries accidents.
FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, who quoted the FRSC data at the recent flag-off ceremony of the strategic collaborative campaign against reckless driving, regretted that the FCT was ranked 2nd position for the 1st quarter of 2021 Road Traffic Accidents.
The minister, who was represented at the event by the Acting Secretary of the FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Iwot Ndaeyo, decried a situation where the FCT also had the 5th most numerous casualties recorded nationwide.
“According to data from the FRSC Statistical Digest for the 1st quarter of 2021, a total of 278 out of 3301 RTAs reported nationwide, representing 8.42%, occurred in the FCT with the unenviable ranking of 2nd position.
“In that report, 518 persons were injured representing the 5th most numerous casualties. Luckily the FCT recorded the 10th commonest fatalities probably due to the existence of accident rescue infrastructure and services coupled with the unparalled commitment of the first responders majorly composed of the officers and men of the various traffic regulatory agencies in the territory that ensured the speedy evacuation of victims to health facilities.”
The minister while also making reference to data from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, NBS, pointed that causative factors of road traffic crashes in the FCT (2nd quarter 2020) are multifaceted to include, speed violation, sign light violation, among several other factors.
Aliyu queried why road crashes should be common sight given that the state of FCT roads, which is second to none in the whole federation.
The minister called for a multi-stakeholder collaboration in tackling the growing cases of road crashes in the territory.
In her words, “As with other human challenges with multifactorial causation, multi-disciplinary efforts would be needed to address it. This will include multi stakeholder collaboration in public enlightenment, mass mobilisation and awareness creation, redoubling of the efforts of the relevant government agencies and parastatals, and renewed commitment of the relevant officers in their assigned responsibilities.”
While commending the chief convener of the coalition of partners, the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, for strategically converting what would have just ended a one-day mourning for their deceased member, Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad Ibrahim, to a project that would deliver public good and safety, however said the administration was not only concerned, but committed in ridding the FCT of drug abuse which fuels road crashes.
She added; “In the next few days, I will be convening a roundtable on the modalities for sustaining this project especially as the end of year festivities unfold. Let me also use this opportunity to appeal to all the residents of the FCT to be their brother’s and sister’s keepers; a good Samaritan that will assist in rescuing and evacuating the distressed and dying victims of road crashes before they bleed to death.
“I most heartily appeal to all those who have the ungodly hobby of video-recording fellow citizens in pains and pangs from the injuries sustained during crashes and upload such horrible sights unto social media platforms instead of assisting them to desist from this act. Please treat others exactly how you’ll love to be treated.”
In his contributions, chairman, FCT Nigeria Medical Association, Dr. Job Amodu, decried the wave of one-way violation of traffic and evil of reckless driving in the nation’s capital, even as he pledged to sustain the campaign.
According to him, “Earlier this year, we heard the rude shock of our senior colleague of the Class of 89 of the Ahmadu Bello University, Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, who was driving on a Sunday afternoon, thinking that the road was free and decided to engage in driving against traffic which caused the unfortunate loss of the deceased.
“We decided to take this campaign to another level by gathering ourselves and remind ourselves of the dangers associated with reckless driving because a lot of people say FCT roads are very good, and as a result a lot of drivers have mismanaged the roads. So we are here today to call ourselves to order and put measures in place to sustain this campaign.”
Speaking at the event, Chairman of Council, Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT, Emmanuel Ogbeche, called for the deployment of technology to arrest the incidents of traffic violations, noting that the deployment of personnel alone was not enough to tackle the menace.
Ogbeche, who was represented by Mallam Umar Tongo, an ex-officio of the council, pledged the readiness of the NUJ to work with stakeholders to address the issues of road safety management in the FCT.
