By correspondent in Abuja.
Chief Abubakar Bello, the Hakimi of Dutse in Bwari Area Council, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has called on the government to prioritize road infrastructure that considers the safety of all categories of road users, especially rural dwellers.
Bello made the appeal during a stakeholders’ town hall meeting organized by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) FCT Command, held in Abuja on Thursday.
Our correspondent reports that the meeting, themed “Speak Up Against Dangerous Driving, Crashes Kill More Passengers,” aimed to promote road safety awareness during the Ember months, when traffic accidents often spike.
The Royal father Bello stressed the need for construction firms to incorporate pedestrian bridges to enhance safety for rural dwellers crossing busy highways.
He also raised concerns about one-way driving and the reckless behavior of commercial drivers on the Dutse-Bwari road, which he attributed to alleged corruption among traffic control personnel.
“One-way driving has been a constant problem. The recklessness of drivers needs to be checked,” Bello said, urging the government to address these issues to ensure a safe and accident-free holiday season.
The Hakimi of Dutse further emphasized the importance of improving road safety, particularly for rural communities, during the festive period.
He called for a more inclusive approach to infrastructure development that would benefit all road users.
Hafiz Mohammed, the FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer for FCT and Niger State,said Corps’ ongoing efforts is aimed at engaging various stakeholders, including religious and traditional institutions, in promoting road safety.
He praised the Corps Marshal’s initiative to organize these town hall meetings and revealed that over 30,000 officers and Corps members had received training on effective traffic management.
In his contribution, Sani Adisa, FCT Coordinator of Special Marshals, reaffirmed the commitment of Special Marshals to reducing fatalities, especially during the year-end operations.
He appealed to commercial drivers to recognize the importance of Special Marshals’ efforts and to cooperate in maintaining road safety.
FCT FRSC Sector Commander, Chorrie Muta’a, also emphasized the need for transport union leaders to educate their members about the dangers of speeding, alcohol consumption, and other hazardous driving behaviors.
He assured that the FRSC would remain committed to creating safer roads to support economic activities in the territory.
Mr. Abdul Bakare, speaking on behalf of transport unions, urged the FRSC to address the issue of articulated vehicles parking indiscriminately along major highways, such as the Zuba-Giri-Gwagwalada road.
He expressed optimism that this would significantly improve traffic flow and management across the FCT.
Other security and paramilitary agencies present at the meeting pledged their support for initiatives aimed at reducing road traffic crashes and improving safety across the six area councils of the territory.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
