The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has disclosed that road accident has claimed more lives than transmitted diseases in recent times.
Abiodun stated this at the 4th annual Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps(TRACE) Commander’s Conference 2019 held in Abeokuta on Thursday.
Abiodun who spoke through his Special Adviser on Security, Shola Zubair , hinted that road accident had killed more young ones than adults for years.
According to him, the report from the World Health Organization in 2018 had been estimated that over 3, 000 persons died annually in road accident crashes globally.
His words ”What this means is that road traffic accidents has claimed more lives resulting from all transmitted diseases put together including HIV/Aids and Ebola among others.
”Sadly, victims of road accidents are mostly young productive segment of national population which lead to loss of human resources on hindering economic growth.
”It is believed that road traffic accident crises and injuries can be prevented and one of the way to prevent it is to invest more on human capital development in the whole management. As a state we cannot afford to lose the useful upcoming young ones.
”Safety of our roads is very pertinent. Road traffic safety is as important as the concept of general security since the major responsibility of the government is to protect lives and properties.
”Trace corps is saddled with the responsibility of road safety management to the citizens of Ogun state,” he said.
Abiodun submitted that it was necessary to improve the existing human resources to further strengthen the existing system of traffic law for the sake of the people.
He advised the people to cooperate with the TRACE corps in order to take Ogun State to next level.
Earlier in his address, the Ogun State Commander of TRACE , Seni Ogunyemi, expressed worry on the rate of accidents on roads in Ogun State with the attendant costs.
He advised motorists especially during the ember period to apply caution and observe traffic regulations to avert needless loss of lives and property.
He explained that, the TRACE corps Commander’ s conference has become an annual colloquium of TRACE corps and a veritable platform to generate ideas , fashion out ways and manners of how best to rebrand , rebuild and reposition the corps.
“This year’s theme is designed towards building on past successes of a more robust , versatile, intellectual sound and knowledge driven traffic management corps which has the capacity and capability to further drive the mission and vision of the prince Dapo Abiodun’s administration in building our future together for a more safer Ogun traffic corridor for the well being of the citizenry and for education, commerce and industry to thrive.
”I want to thank the team led by the highly revered , social , economic and transport consultant, Professor Adesoji Adesanya, Professor of transport Research of the Nigerian institute of social Economic Research, NISER, Ibadan , Oyo Stste, for availing us their wealth of experience in this onerous task of ensuring safety on Ogun traffic corridor in particular and Nigerian Highway in general”
He therefore commended Abiodun for his support, patronage and belief in TRACE corps as part of the beneficiary of the security Trust Fund initiative.
”I want to reassure the Ogun state government that we will continue to intensify our efforts on 24hours service delivery for effective management of road traffic safety and administration, especially through it’s TRACE traffic whistle Blower initiative , community based traffic service and strive harder to make Ogun traffic strip safe by providing the best service delivery which Ogun State Public Service is known and respected for,” he said.
