Bauchi Deputy Gov Laments Frequent Road Crashes, Blames Human Errors
- Inaugurates road safety advisory council
BY ADEYEMI AKNAJI, BAUCHI – Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Baba Tela, has described as avoidable frequent road crashes that continue to claim many lives and render others incapacitated in the state.
He said the State government is seriously disturbed that most of the accidents are caused by human errors and judgment therefore preventable.
Senator Baba Tela lamented that road traffic incidents in the state is a cankerworm that has been causing destruction to the people and something must be done urgently to curb the menace.
Inaugurating the Bauchi State Road Safety Advisory Council (SARSAC) in his office recently, the Deputy Governor said the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy II (2021-2030) is an update to the maiden Road Safety Strategy and a Nigeria response to a call by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution of March 2020 declaring the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety from 2011-2020 for global action on Road Safety.
According to him; “As you are aware, the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) defines and guides the implementation of viable initiatives and programs across its five pillars espouse by the Safe System Approaches.
“The aim is to reduce Road Traffic Crash Fatality rate by 50% during the period of coverage (2021-2030). After reviewing the maiden NRSS, the South West region achieved 41% of the set initiatives. Following is the South East Region which achieved 29%, while the least performing regions were North West (12%) and North East (13%)”.
He explained that; “The inauguration of Bauchi State Road Safety Council (SaRSAC) is therefore timely and useful for all the parties and persons responsible for Road Safety Management in the State. These include all relevant stakeholders comprising Federal, State and Local Governments as well as their applicable agencies, relevant private sectors.
“Companies, key non-governmental Organizations, Development Partners, Donor agencies, research institutions, Civil Society groups, all hands must be the deck to say NO to Road Traffic Crashes, a cankerworm that has been eating deep into our flesh.”
Senator Tela, who pleaded for support, cooperation, and buy-in by all stakeholders to achieve the set objectives of SARSAC and as well diagnose the road safety challenges in Bauchi State, said efforts must be geared towards the implementation of these strategies by ensuring all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) play their respective roles.
He said each representative from the MDAs and security agencies making up the Council will be selected to form a technical working group saddled with the responsibilities of “assessing challenges of Road Safety all over the 4000KM Road network in Bauchi State after which possible solutions will be forwarded to the National Council headed by the Vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.”
Explaining that SARSAC’s inauguration provides an opportunity to showcase to the international communities, what the state needs in terms of road safety, the Deputy Governor said; “Some of the numerous road safety challenges in Bauchi State include: Constantly eroded roads; narrowband failed bridges; failed road texture; lack of adequate and road furniture among others.
“The World Bank palliatives through this strategy will address most of these challenges as plans have reached advance stage to install surveillance cameras along World Bank corridors Bauchi, Darazo and Potiskum inclusive.”
Earlier in his speech, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bauchi State, Yusuf Abdullahi, said the Council is the driver of the United Nations document that provides ten years road map on how to achieve maximum Safety on our roads for best road culture and Economic prosperity.
“The council will be saddled with the responsibility of implementing this Policy Document as a guide in achieving maximum safety on our roads by identifying challenges and suggesting possible solutions recommended for the National Council action”, he said.
For him; “It is imperative to know that council members will make a Technical Working Group (TWG) which will operate at the grassroot in all ramifications across board ranging from youth Education on road safety, improve equipment in Truman centres in health facilities, improve security on our roads, enacting laws to improve compliance to traffic rules and regulations etc.”
The FRSC chief, who also explained that “Ministry of Works and Transport and Local Govt and Chieftains affairs will provide an enabling atmosphere to ensure success in the implementation process”, appealed to all the Council members to remain focused in making Bauchi State RTC free as soon as possible.
In his remarks, Secretary to Bauchi State Government (SSG), Barrister Ibrahim Kashim stressed the importance of safety on roads across the state, saying such will ultimately reduce to the barest minimum fatal accidents on the roads.
Represented by the Special Adviser in his office, Hashim Yakubu, the SSG assured that the government will not relent in ensuring all roads in the state are safe, assuring that the Advisory Council will do its best in educating and enlightening members of the public on the road safety issues and other related matters.
