The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Thursday
said it had deployed 36,000 personnel comprising regular and special marshals
across the country to ensure smooth traffic during the yuletide.
The Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, disclosed this
while addressing newsmen in Abuja according to Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and
Strategy, FRSC.
Oyeyemi said the end of year operations which would
last for 28 days from Dec. 19 to Jan.15, 2016 would address traffic challenges.
He said this year’s special patrol was planned after
conducting studies on traffic trends during the last operations, adding that
logistics such as ambulances, partrol vehicles and rescue equipment had been
deployed.
“I wish to point out that from the strategic goals of
15 per cent reduction in road traffic crashes and 25 per cent in fatality rate
set for 2015, the corps is on course.
“For instance, as at September 2016, we had achieved
77.19 per cent of the expectation in road traffic crashes reduction, while
83.33 per cent was achieved in respect of the fatality rate reduction.
“The special patrol operation with the theme:“ Crash
the Crash’’ involves participation of law enforcement agencies as well as
transport unions with support from some civil society organisations.
“The Nigerian Air force would render aerial support for
the success of the exercise by assisting in monitoring traffic trends and
giving prompt directives for remedial actions to boost the efficiency of the
operations,’’ he said.
The corps marshal said that 12 help areas had been
established to ensure prompt response to safety and health issues that affect
smooth movement during the period.
He listed the areas as, Osara in Kogi ,Ilesha in Osun ,
Ore in Oyo ,Mowe in Ogun ,Giri in FCT, and Agwu in Enugu.
Others are: Ajaokuta in Kogi, Lambatta in Niger,
Akwanga in Nasarawa State , Bazuaye in Bauchi State ,Jattu in Edo and Onigari
in Iwo area along Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
Oyeyemi said that possible alternative routes along
some major corridors in the bid to decongest gridlocks were also created for
the benefit of the travelers who might need them.
He said for instance, travelers could use the Lokoja
–Kabba-Ayere-Akunu-Ise junction-Ikare-Ado –Ekiti-Ilesha or go through
Lokoja-Kabba-Ayere-Akunu-Isu junction-Oka Akoko.
He added that travelers could also go through
Lokoja-Okene-Ogori Magogo-Owo or follow Lokoja-Ajaokuta-Ejule-Otukpa-
The corps marshal said other routes are: the 9th
Mile-Udi-Oji River-Umunze, the Bauchi-Alkaleri-Kaltungo route and the
Kaduna-Kachia-Kwoi-Manchok roads.
He also listed the Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto, Abuja-Lokoja
route and the Ikorodu-Sagamu, Lekki-Epe-Ijebu-Ode and the Sango-Ifo-Abeokuta
routes.
Oyeyemi said that with the measures put in place by the
corps, movement of people and vehicles from one location to another during the
yuletide would be smooth.
He called for the support of all stakeholders, saying
that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the corps achieved its goal of
creating safer motoring environment for all travelers.
He said the though the FRSC’s 200 mobile courts would
be sitting nationwide , the emphasis this year was not on prosecution and fines
but on safety of the travelers.
Oyeyemi said the corps would work round the clock to
ensure safety on the highways and urged Nigerians to call the FRSC toll free
number 122 in case of an emergency or for removal of broken down vehicles.
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