The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has decried excessive human overloading by commercial drivers in the north declaring that it would no longer be tolerated.
The RS7HQ Zonal Commander, Assistant Corps Marshal Umar Ibrahim made this declaration at the flag-off of the 2019 Ember Month Campaign Rally in Lapai garage, Gwadabe market, Minna.
Umar who observed the increasing rate of human overloading with dismay said that the commercial drivers in the north no longer overload their vehicles with load but with people.
“What we have observed in the north among commercial drivers is excessive overloading, this time, it is human overloading. All states in the north are guilty of this including the FCT.
“It is only in the north that you notice people are carried in the boot or on top of cows or other goods like tomatoes or yam. Is it that we no longer value life?
“From now on, FRSC will no longer tolerate excessive overloading or carrying people in the boot. We will be very strict about this especially in the north.”
Umar then urged passengers not to allow themselves to be overloaded stressing that they have the right to insist on decent transport.
“Life has no spare part. If you allow yourself to be overloaded and anything happens, it happens to you. You live life just once and only once. Take value for your life and do not allow yourself to be overloaded.”
The Zonal Commander said that the Agency is advocating for separate vehicles for goods adding that this would go a long way in reducing overloading which is one of the major causes of road crashes in Nigeria.
“There should be separate vehicles for goods and buses or other vehicles for people. We are working on finding a lasting solution to road crashes in Nigeria.”
The Secretary to the Niger State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ahmed Matane said that with some of the major road corridors in the country passing through Niger state, the state has had its share of road traffic crashes which is on the high side.
He appealed to all road users especially vehicle drivers and riders to ensure that they encore all actions and activities that will affect their concentration whole on the road.
“Using the road is a serious business as it is a matter of life and death hence, it must be given the deserved attention. Drivers and all operators must be in the right frame of mind to meet up with the increase in passengers during the ember months.”
Matane then urged the various transport unions to work with the relevant government agencies towards reducing carnage on the roads
The Niger state FRSC Sector Commander, John Jaguar said that road safety is a state of mind while road traffic crash is an absence of the mind urging drivers and passengers to stay alert while using the road in order to stay alive.
“FRSC is calling on everybody to be alert while on the road. When you pay attention, you will be conscious of what to do. Before you get on the road, analyze your state of mind, if you are not in the right frame of mind, you gave no right to be on the road.”
He stated that the Ember Month campaign rally was to sensitize motorists on the safe use of the road as the year ends adding that during this period, there would be an increase in road movement and activities of which everyone should be aware of.
