ADB pledges support to FRSC on crash reduction

THE African Development Bank has expressed its willingness to support the activities of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in ensuring road crash reduction and safety on the highways.

Transport expert of the bank, Nwila Aaron Katambula, made the commitment, when he paid a courtesy visit on the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, on Thursday, in Abuja.

Head Media Relations and Strategy, FRSC, Mr Bisi Kazeem in a statement said  Katambula who led other officials of the bank on the visit, expressed concern with the challenges of road safety management and effects of road traffic crashes on the socio-economic development of the African region.

He stated that the bank would demonstrate its concern for safety of lives and property of the people through its support to relevant institutions by engaging in road safety reforms in the African continent.

He added that African Development Bank would render necessary support for road development in the African continent, noting that emphasis would be placed on the country capacity review, road design and post-crash treatment.

The transport expert further stated that the bank would give consideration to some road corridors across the Nigeria including the Gombe-Biu road and Lafia-Keffi road in Nasawa State, promising to explore other areas of assisting the Corps to manage its road side clinics established across the country.

The transport expert acknowledged  the fact that apart from victims of road traffic crash which are given treatment at the FRSC clinics, other non crash victims like members of the host community also patronise them.

This, he said makes it imperative that the clinics be supported by relevant stakeholders for more quality services.

Earlier in his presentation, the Corps Marshal recalled the activities of the FRSC in its determination to restore sanity on the highways through public enlightenment and enforcement programmes.

He disclosed that as part of the determination of the FRSC to attend to crash victims with promptness and efficiency, the Corps established roadside clinics as well as ambulance points across the country.

He noted that due to the closeness of the clinics to the some communities, people from such communities do come to seek for medical attention which the Corps is obliged to give in view of its spirit of corporate social responsibilities.

The Corps Marshal thanked the President for the support to the FRSC through provision of logistics to enhance the operations of the Corps.

He noted that the Ministry of Health has been showing understanding to the challenges of the roadside clinics by planning to incorporate them into the primary health care programme of the ministry.

This, he said would go a long way in assisting the Corps to render more qualitative services to road traffic crash victims and members of the host community.

Oyeyemi assured the bank that the Corps is committed to the success of the ongoing global road safety campaign by the United Nations Decade of Action For Road Safety: 2011-2020 and called on relevant stakeholders to assist in realising the goals.

The African Development Bank transport expert was accompanied on the visit by some officials of the ADB in Nigeria.