Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has urged motorists to desist from driving under influence of alcohol or narcotics to ensure safety of themselves and their passengers this ember month.
Ugwuanyi gave the advice recently in Enugu while flagging off the 2022 Ember Months Campaign of the Federal Road SAFETY Corps (FRSC), tagged: “2022 Operation Zero Ember Months Special Operations”.
The three-month operation is themed: “Avoid Speeding, Overloading and Use of Unsafe Tyres to Arrive Alive”.
The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Transport, Dr Peter Omeje, urged motorists to take seriously their safety and that of their passengers by ensuring that all the components of their vehicles are in order before hitting the roads.
He noted that the state government had been doing its best to ensure free-flow of traffic and reducing road crashes, adding: “We have enacted Enugu State Traffic Law with 63 traffic offenses with their penalties”.
“Again, to further buttress our commitments at ensuring seamless free-flow of traffic and reduction of road crashes, the state government embarked on the construction and maintenance of several roads across the state.
“Some are still ongoing in the metropolis as you may have witnessed, as well as the construction of flyover located at the T-Junction, Abakpa Nike, Enugu East Local Government Area,” he said.
Ugwuanyi commended the FRSC Enugu State Command for their consistency in the organisation of the yearly operation and professionalism in enforcing road traffic rules and timely response to road emergencies and crashes.
Earlier, the acting Corps Marshal of FRSC, Mr Dauda Biu, represented by Zonal Commanding Officer of FRSC, Mr Isaac Ameh, said that the corps had made all operational logistics for the success of the operation available.
Biu urged all stakeholders on road safety to ensure that they contribute their quota to ensure the success of the operation, adding that the mandate was to reduce road crashes and fatalities to below 15 per cent this season.
“Road safety is no accident. It takes concerted and collective efforts of every stakeholder to ensure it happen.
“As road safety is a shared responsibility; the FRSC calls on all road users to play their part to ensure an accident-free and free flowing traffic this ember months,” he said.
In an address, FRSC Sector Commander in Enugu State, Mr Joseph Toby, said that the operation zero was meant for reduction and sensitising all road users on the need to ensure proper and safer use of the roads.
Toby noted that motorists should put it at the backs of their minds “that only the living celebrates”.
He said: “Thus, while using the road, we must avoid speeding, overloading and use of unsafe tyres in order to arrive alive.
“However, let me reiterate that other traffic infractions such as lane indiscipline, faulty wipers and lighting system, use of phone while driving, route violation, dangerous driving, non-use of seatbelts and poor vehicle maintenance also contribute to serious traffic crashes.”
The sector commander lauded Ugwuanyi for reducing traffic nuisance in the state, adding that the corps was ready to partner the government and other sister agencies to fashion out home-grown initiatives to eliminate traffic infractions in the state.
