As part of its strategic collaboration and partnership drive, a cocoa exporting firm, Gbemtan Investment Limited, Akure, Ondo state, at the weekend collaborated with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to sensitise the staff of the company on the proper use of roads.
Speaking during the one-day sensitisation programme, the State Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr Ezekiel SonAllah, said the essence of the programme was to entrench the culture of road safety consciousness in the company’s drivers and to sensitised the firm’s staff including drivers in different areas bordering on road usage and safety
SonAllah who was represented by the Head of Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS) Mr Busuyi Komolafe, said the sensitisation training tagged “2022 Safety Managers and Drivers Certification” was a yearly activity carried out by the FRSC to the registered fleet operators.
He explained that Gbemtan was one of 71 registered fleet operators in the state.
About 25 drivers and managers of the company were sensitised to different areas bordering on road usage and safety.
According to him, three major factors responsible for road crashes include: human, environmental and mechanical factors, of which the human factor carried 90 per cent.
He said there are three variables in the traffic environment, which include the driver, the vehicle and the road, the driver is the most important element who takes every decision and responsibility regarding proper use of the road.
He disclosed that findings from the FRSC showed that the rate of road traffic crashes on Nigeria’s highways is very alarming and on the high side due to failure to obey traffic rules and laws.
He extensively educated the drivers on the need for routine checks of vehicles, moderate speed, valid driver’s licence and attitudinal change for defensive or anticipatory driving to avoid accidents.
He said, “Out of 100 per cent of road crashes, the human factor takes 90 per cent and out of 90 per cent drivers contribute to 80 per cent of causes of road traffic through failure to obey rules and regulations of the road, over speeding, drinking while driving, among others.
“We now discovered that if we can train them (drivers) and they have FRSC mission and vision with them and key into the corps system, the road will be safe for everybody,
“What we are trying to preach now is for drivers to avoid over-speeding, get a valid driver’s licence, don’t overload vehicles, and ensure that their tyres are in good condition.
“We also discourage night trips because of the condition of our roads and insecurity in the country,” he said.
The sector commander, who certified the safety manager and drivers of Gbemtan Investment Limited, called on people, organisations, companies, academic institutions, government departments and agencies engaging in transport service or other with at least five vehicles in the fleet to register with the corps.
“You are hereby encouraged to register free under RTSSS in order to entrench a culture of safety consciousness and check that the exercise often leads to loss of lives and property,” he said.
The Managing Director of Gbemtan Investment Limited, Mr Muftau Abolarinwa, said the collaboration with the FRSC became necessary to know better how to use the road very well and also to avoid unnecessary accidents on the road.
Abolarinwa, who was represented by the company’s Internal Control Manager, Mr Olayemi Olajebo said that the sensitization would go a long way to add value to the drivers, staff and the company as a whole.
According to Abolarinwa, “When we know the road signs and the laws that govern them, you will realize that a lot of accidents that happen will be reduced to minimum.
“As a company that is into cocoa export, we have a lot of drivers that travel around to bring products to us and they encounter a lot of things on the road sometimes lead to calling the company that they have been arrested by FRSC or other agents.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
“But at the end of the day, we realized that all these drivers are not well informed about road signs and laws that guide them. That is why we organised this training for us to know better.
“So, it will add value to everybody, both the staff and drivers. It will even reduce the money we spend on our trucks because if you know how to use your vehicle very well, it will reduce all unnecessary expenses on our trucks.
“We will continue to collaborate with Road Safety to ensure that the awareness and information are out there to our drivers and populace at large on the need to take life easy at this time,” he said.
The company’s senior driver, Mr Ibrahim Saliu, commended the FRSC for the gesture saying the drivers would adhered to all the knowledge passed unto them by the operatives of FRSC.
Saliu, who said that the lecture would be an added advantage to member of the company especially drivers said many drivers was driving without knowing where to overtake or not and when they were on strange road.
“I am appealing to my other colleagues to memorise all the lectures very well because there was a problem sometimes due to lack of knowledge then that makes it happened,” he said.
and then