Nation
FCT Cautions Against Speed, Overloading At Yuletide
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Directorate of Road Transport Services (DRTS) has called on motorists to avoid speeding and overloading to avoid road accidents during the yuletide.
FCT DRTS Director, Wadata Bodinga, made the call in an interview with The Tide source in Abuja.
Bodinga said that the condition of a vehicle, the road being plied and the human factor, could contribute significantly to the rate of accidents on the road.
“Motorists are to make sure they are physically and mentally alert to drive and journeys should be properly planned; there is no need to rush because due to the yuletide, traffic is expected to increase so trips should be estimated and planned.
“By so doing, you will be relaxed enough to take precaution of all the safety measures to be adhered to on the highway.
“Before embarking on a journey, it is advisable to make sure your vehicle is in good condition to be on the road; check your tyres often, service the car, check the break, lightening and electrical parts of the vehicle
“Night journeys should be avoided except extremely important, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world,” he advised.
According to him, the FCT Administration had been proactive in setting out guidelines on how motorists were to go about during the pandemic, stating that with COVID-19 pandemic second wave, those policy guidelines are still in force.
“It is the obligation of vehicle inspection officers in collaboration with other security agencies to enforce those guidelines; a taxi is to carry only four people including the driver, he said.
“Likewise buses on either inter or intra city travel must also adhere to one seat; two people only and if it is a higher capacity vehicle, then they are to operate on 50 per cent capacity.
“We are trying to implement this policy but we are appealing to commuters to caution drivers and avoid overloading as it is the right of commuters not to be overloaded in a vehicle.
“Passengers have the right to avoid being in a vehicle that does not maintain social distancing, right to caution the driver when he is over speeding and right to, at least, look at the external conditions of vehicles such as the tyres and general condition of the vehicle and if it is not in good order, they should react.
“We are also urging commuters to engage vehicles in recognised motor parks because if commuters can do their part then the law enforcement agencies will have very little to do.
“We have situation of commuters encouraging overloading after paying so much transport fare and also help to avoid arrest of drivers and this is wrong as drivers need to stop taking advantage of commuters,” he said.
He assured citizens of doubling efforts to make sure the FCT roads, high ways and vehicles leaving the city are in good condition to reduce crashes on the road.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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