Accidents: Bayelsa Pledges Co-Operation With FRSC

The Commissioner for Education in Bayelsa State, Chief Salo
Adikumo has attributed frequent road accident to ignorance of most people on
highway codes and therefore said his ministry will collaborate with the
relevant agencies to carryout awareness campaigns.

To this ends, Chief Adikumo called on the Federal Road
Safety Corps to be more proactive in the task of educating and creating
awareness in the local government areas to avoid unnecessary carnage on our
roads.

The commissioner, who made the call when officials of the
Federal Road Safety Corps led by the state Sector Commander, Mr Jack Vincent,
paid him an advocacy visit in his office in Yenagoa, the state capital, said
this has become imperative to the unacceptable high number of lives lost on
road accident across the state on regular basis.

Chief Adikumo, who pledged the state government’s commitment
to partner with relevant federal government agencies, noted that many of the
road mishaps were as a result of ignorance of road signs and non-compliance
with basic requirements needed in vehicles and called for extension of
enlightenment to the rural areas of the state.

The commissioner argued that the recent disaster along the
Okogbe axis of the East-West Road involving a tanker in which more than 100
persons were burnt, could have been averted if the people were properly
educated on the dangers of scooping fuel.

Chief Adikumo said as a Marshal under the Sagbama Unit, he
was surprised to notice that most of the drivers plying the highway do not have
the least knowledge on road signs, the implications of drinking while driving,
overloading and overspeeding, stressing that for the safety of the road users,
officers of the corps should live above board.

He said, it was very essential for the Ministry of Education
to be involved in the business of sensitising the citizens on road usage as one
of the agents of socialisation, adding that his ministry should be involved in
mobilising school children.

Earlier, the state Sector Commander of the Federal Road
Safety Corps, Mr Jack Vincent, had told the commissioner that the Road Safety
Corps has a mandate from the Presidency to do a survey and identify issues
bordering on causes of road accidents and train people on road safety
compliance.

Mr Vincent explained that as soon as the survey was
concluded, school principals and head teachers would be invited for training
through the Ministry of Education, while in the area of public enlightenment,
the Hon. Commissioner would be requested to talk to the people.

He noted that the organisation is charged with the
responsibility of ensuring maximum safety on the highway in the country,
stressing, however, that the Ministry of Education would be the platform
through which this noble objective can be achieved and thanked the commissioner
for accepting to collaborate with them.