The Shell Petroleum De
velopment Company, (SPDC) in collaboration with the Rivers State Government, has organised a child road safety awareness programme to promote the safety of school children while using the road.
Speaking during the programme which was organised under the theme, ‘safe routes to school,’ at Golden Tulip Hotels, Port Harcourt, the  State Commissioner for Education,  Dame Alice Nemi, described children as the most vulnerable to road accidents, and  cabled for a concerted effort towards addressing issues of child safety on the roads.
The Commissioner who was represented by a Director in the ministry, Mr Mekele Ntehue, commended SPDC for its initiatives and called on other multinationals to key into the programme.
In his remarks the Corporate Logistic manager of SPDC, Mr Heugry Mogbolu  who represented the Managing Director  of SPDC, attributed the high rate of deaths on the road to roads traffic crisis and called on stakeholders to proffer solution to the problems, as Africa was the most hit with over 90% mortality rate on our high ways, of which children are mostly the victims.
Also speaking, the Zonal Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Rivers State command, Mr Attah thanked SPDC for the initiative, pointing out that over 320 people lost their lives within the last one year. According to the FRSC boss, most road accidents were caused by speed violation, loss of control, and dangerous driving.
In his presentation, one of the  road safety partners, Mr Ian Huges, said most deaths on the road were as a result of failure to use seat belt and abuse of road safety signs.
He called for enforcement of rules and regulations on Drivers and Pedestrians rights on roads.

Taneh Beemene