Propelled by the necessity of achieving the vision of United Nations Decade of Action on Road Safety 2021-2030, which emphasises on zero tolerance to road traffic fatalities, the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima has concluded all arrangements to inaugurate the National Road Safety Advisory Council (NARSAC).
The Vice President, who chairs the National Road Safety Advisory Council, called for an urgent action against road traffic crashes and highlighted the importance of leveraging technology and enforcing discipline to improve road safety in Nigeria.
He directed the immediate inauguration of the Advisory Council emphasize the need for a more robust and result oriented collective action on road safety.
The directive which is aimed at addressing Nigeria’s road safety challenges and drastically reducing traffic crashes on the roads was given on Friday, during a meeting with the Management of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) led by Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting with the FRSC Corps Marshal, the VP stressed the urgent need to address the increasing road crashes on the highways and in the cities caused by non-adherence to traffic regulations.
“We need a comprehensive solution for our road safety challenges. The whole ecosystem is not as it should be,” VP Shettima stated, emphasizing the need for “deliberate efforts toward addressing our road challenges,” in line with international best practices in countries like Dubai and the UK.
Speaking on behalf of the Corps, the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, said the National Road Safety Advisory Council is a critical catalyst in the speedy realisation of the vision of the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy II document which is to cover the period between 2021-2030.
“The idea is to reduce road traffic crashes by 50% between now and 2030,” he said.
He outlined the council’s primary functions to include setting national road safety targets, coordinating efforts between federal, state and local governments, and overseeing the implementation of strategic initiatives.
You would recall that the council’s membership includes six Governors representing the six geo-political zones, various Federal Ministers, the National Security Adviser, and the President of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON).
