Nation
Yuletide: NGO Cautions Motorists Against Speeding
The founder of a Non-Governmental Initiative, 24- Hour Road Accident Victim Support Initiative (TRAVSI), Mr Ghaddafi Asemanya, has called on motorists to avoid speeding to reduce road crashes during the yuletide season.
Asemanya, the Chief Executive Officer of TRAVSI, made the call in an interview with The Tide’s source in Makurdi, recently.
He said the organisation‘s focus is to improve safety on Nigerian roads through interventions,providing first aid for accident victims and awareness for motorists.
The CEO said the number of road traffic deaths from global perspective had increased annually, saying there is need to reduce the carnage through preventive measures and awareness.
Noting that road crashes have killed more Nigerians than the violent Boko Haram terrorists group, he said the task of ensuring safety on roads should not be left to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) alone.
“In Nigeria, dangerous driving, speeding and distracted driving accounts for over 50 per cent of crashes according to FRSC report, hence the need for continuous sensitisation on safety.
“Our NGO is leading the campaign for safer road usage in Nigeria by implementing different advocacy, training and public enlightenment programs,” he said.
He also advised motorists to stay clear of intoxicants and other hard drugs while driving to reduce road crashes in the country.
Asemanya identified some major causes of road crashes to be reckless driving, bad tyres, over loading and wrong overtaking among others.
He called on motorist to adhere strictly to FRSC traffic rules and regulations to reduce road crashes in the country.
The founder said volunteers who are doctors, clinical Psychologists also help the organisation in its activities.
He appealed to individuals, government and relevant organisations to assist the NGO achieve its goals of saving victims of accidents.
He encourages government at all levels to provide first aid kits in schools to treat students with cases.
“The ministry of education should include in schools curriculum on how to handle a first aid.
“We urge government to empower the youth by bringing them to the FRSC and NGOs for safety training, we are ready to train them”, he said.
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The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3