Abia State Orientation Agency Advises Road Users To Adhere To Safety Rules

The Acting Director General, Abia State Orientation Agency(ABSOA), Urena Abazie has called on Abia citizens and residents to adhere to road safety rules and shun all forms of social menaces.

The Ag DG made the call during the town hall meeting/rally organised by the agency in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on the theme, ‘Abia future begins with Safe Roads; Stop Substance Abuse and Street Trading’ at the Aguiyi Ironsi Conference Hall on Wednesday.

The DG advised road users to shun excessive intake of alcohol and substance abuse, illicit touting, street trading and the desecration of the roads with broken down vehicles.

She highlighted that the Dr Alex Otti led-government has embarked on several infrastructural development projects and upheld the well being of Abians which should be promoted through imbibing good behaviours, while stressing that it will ensure better and healthy lives for people of the state as well as attract investors thereby increasing the economy of the state.

The acting DG urged Abians to be intentional in making the future work as it is made or marred through deliberate or indeliberate actions of the people.

In her keynote lecture, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, Abia Sector Command, Corps Commander Ngozi I. Ezeoma who expressed delight for a timely public enlightenment programme for all road users, stated that the state has experienced gradual and steady decrease in Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) rate from 2015 to 2023 which was attributed to the efforts of the Commission and its stakeholders to curb road recklessness by road users.

Corps Commander Ezeoma disclosed that 85 percent of accidents on roads are caused by human factors while 15 percent are caused by mechanical and environmental factors.

These human factors she mentioned include: driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; Illiteracy and poor driving skills; over-confidence while driving; speeding; distracted driving; fatigue driving; indiscriminate parking; dangerous overtaking etcetera.

She also made it known that some of the mechanical factors are caused by negligence and poor vehicle maintenance
She further stressed that drivers should use the knowledge acquired while driving so as to save lives, property, time and money as well as ensure proper maintenance of vehicles.

Speaking on ‘the need for compliance to road worthiness and negative effects of reckless driving’ the Commissioner for Transport, Dr Chimezie Isaac Ukaegbu stated that a roadworthy vehicle rarely breaks down on the road which reduces the risk of accidents.

He informed that maintaining roadworthy vehicles ensures safe roads and vehicle longevity and reliability. He enjoined vehicle owners to subject their vehicles to regular inspection while informing that the VIO computerised testing centres are sited at Aba and Umuahia.

The Commissioner, while stating that the government is embarking on public transport projects, stressed that drivers should change their habitual attitude of drunkenness, show off, speeding and inexperience driving etc to reduce road accidents adding that accounts are largely caused by the wrong use of the driver’s physical and mental capacities.

Also speaking, the Deputy State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA), DDRD,Abia state, Dcn. Anu Binta Maurice who made it clear that drugs can be abused in different ways,highlighted the various types of drugs to include: Illicit drugs which is regulated by the United Nations Convention; the Socially acceptable drugs which can also be destructive especially when taken in high consumption,; and the non- conventional drugs which is not prohibited by the UN Conventions but are highly destructive.

According to Dcn Maurice, the non conventional drugs are mixtures of one substance or the other which may not be suspected to be harmful. She therefore urged parents to be on the lookout for their children as anything can be suspected to be drug, stating that the present day youths are innovative and discover and use anything which may not be suspected to be drug.

She however thanked the Governor of the state for giving them attention and enabling the environment in the state.