By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo
The Osun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC) has deployed over 1,200 personnel to monitor the movement of vehicles across the State during the Easter celebration.
Speaking at the awareness programme organised by the Sector Command for the Chairmen of the Park Management System in Osogbo the State Capital on Thursday, the State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Henry Benamaisia said they have deployed personnel with special Marshal to ensure safety of the road users during the festive period.
Benamaisia further explained that the Sector Command embarked on the road sensitisation for the drivers in order to record zero accident before, during and after the Easter celebration.
He said, “During the Easter celebration, we expect a lot of vehicle movement and within this time a lot of persons would be travelling from point A to point B. As a result of that, we are being proactive to create awareness for our drivers to be road safety conscious while they are on the road to record zero crashes.
“Our drivers should not drive when they are tired and when they are tired they should rest for 15 minutes after driving about four hours.”
In her address, the Head of the Corps’ National Traffic Radio, DCC Honey Ogundayo charged transporters, drivers and passengers to cooperate with law enforcement agencies while on the wheel.
Ogundayo said that continuous sensitisation for public enlightenment has been stepped up because festive period is very close.
She charged the general public to leverage on the FRSC National Traffic Radio, 107.1, FM Abuja, with phone number 08052998090 or dial toll free number – 122 to make reports for any obstruction, crash or any emergencies, for prompt response.
She said, “This and many other cogent factors necessitated the need to organise this mega sensitisation campaign to enlighten stakeholders and all road users including passengers on how to use the roads safely, so as to trend down road traffic fatalities by 15 per cent.
“This campaign has already commenced nationwide following my directives to Commanding Officers across board to commence immediate massive awareness and sensitisation on the need to drive safe during the occasion.
“Our commitment in the public education is to ensure that we deploy all available strategic initiatives within our disposal to ensure that motorists are adequately informed and educated on the dangers of violating road traffic regulations for example, driving long distance tired without resting at intervals
“Our interface with Transport Unions and other road users shows that though we have not achieved our set target of realizing zero crash on our roads through aggressive public enlightenment campaigns, we are confident of the very fact that with the growing synergy between FRSC and the various Unions, our targets are not far from reach.”