By Paschal Emeka, Abuja
A group, Accident Prevention and Rescue Initiative (APRI), has called on state governments to as a matter of necessity comply with the relevant provisions of the Road Traffic Act to establish Motor Vehicle Administration Directorate in their respective Ministry of Transport.
According to APRI, this will reduce the rate of road traffic crash deaths and injuries and also increase road transport revenue generation to fund road traffic safety activities.
APRI, in a statement by its Executive Director, Prince Fidelis Nnadi disclosed that the group, in a resolution adopted at its Executive meeting held in August 2023 resolved that State Governments Ministry of Transport in Nigeria should adopt the road traffic crash prevention measures, by establishing their respective Motor Vehicle Administration Directorate to improve on road crash prevention measures and road transport revenue generation.
Nnadi, who is also the National Consultant for the National Conference Directors and Chief Road Traffic Officers of the Federation on Capacity Building and Public Affairs Advocacy, tasked Transportation Commissioners of States and the Attorney Generals to ensure full compliance with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety.
He explained that the mandates seeks to promote efforts in the reduction of road crash deaths and injuries to a drastic level.
Nnadi also frowned at the current low level performance of Road Traffic/Vehicle Inspection officers in some States, stressing that their State Governments are yet to equip the agency and officers with the required technology, operational vehicles and manpower to function optimally.
“We cannot continue to fold hands while innocent road users are crushed on our roads caused by inadequate, but affordable resources for officers to enforce the road traffic regulations of their respective States for the safety of lives.
He however bemoaned that the States are loosing huge road transport revenues which in most cases are being harnessed and harvested by some non-state actors in the sector.
“It will be in the interest of State Governments’ Ministry of Transportation and society when the establishment of Directorate of Motor Vehicle Administration in all the States/FCT are fully implemented, as such establishment has been guaranteed by the provisions of the Road Traffic Act CAP 548LFN,” he concluded.
