FRSC inaugurates 2023 “Ember” months campaign in Abia, advises against overloading

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Abia Sector Command, has launched this year’s “Ember” months campaign against overloading and speed before and during the Yuletide. In a speech at the event in Umuahia, the South-East Zonal Commander of the corps, RS9HQ, Mr Ocheja Ameh, said that the campaign would focus on encouraging road users to observe safety measures. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the campaign is “Speed thrills but kills: Drive responsibly and avoid overloading”. Ameh said: “The focus of our campaign this year is against overloading, failure to install speed limiting device by commercial vehicles, dangerous driving, lane indiscipline and absence of wipers. “Also, vehicles that are abusing the use of several lights in the night, other than the factory-fitted ones and use of phone, while driving, amongst others. “I want to assure you that this year’s campaign will be more vigorous than that of last year, because we want to start early for best results.” He thanked the government and stakeholders for their support to FRSC programmes, adding that the corps was poised to intensify it’s campaign against violation of safety rules by road users. The Acting Sector Commander,  Mrs Bridget Asekhauno, said that the campaign was targeted at recording minimal road crashes, zero fatalities and free flow of traffic during the Yuletide and going forward. Asekhauno said that in order to achieve its goal, the command had deployed personnel, operational vehicles and ambulances in all the strategic roads across the state as well as made provision for mobile courts. She urged drivers to install speed limiting device, use safe tyres in their vehicles and avoid overloading their vehicles with humans and animals, amongst other infractions. She also said that the command would not hesitate to prosecute violators of any road safety rules and urged road users to cooperate with FRSC personnel deployed in various locations in the state. In a speech,  Gov. Alex Otti of Abia said that the FRSC core mandate of minimising road crashes and fatalities was in line with Abia Government’s agenda to achieve effective traffic management in the state. The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Sunny Onwuma, described road safety as a shared responsibility, which makes it important for all drivers to drive safely to save lives. Otti urged road users to obey traffic rules and regulations to enable them to arrive at their different destinations, safely. Earlier, the State Chairman, Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners, Mr Amobi Ohaeri, commended the corps for embarking on a campaign to encourage safe driving. Ohaeri said that the effort would greatly help to improve the orientation of road users, especially commercial drivers, in driving responsibly and appealed to FRSC to conduct regular enlightenment programmes, particularly in motor parks. “This campaign should go beyond Ember months. “Take it to churches, mosques, town hall meetings, because drivers belong to all these places and do consider starting a road safety club for drivers to further drive the message home,” he said. Also, the State Coordinator of FRSC Special Marshal, Chief Jerry Onyemachi, commended FRSC and the security agencies for their collaborative effort toward keeping the roads safe. Onyemachi called on the people of Abia to be law-abiding and adhere to the safety measures outlined by FRSC.