The Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Bahago, on Wednesday lauded the Federal Road Safety Corps’ (FRSC) initiatives and adoption of modern strategies in ensuring safer road culture in Nigeria.
Bahago said this while receiving the state’s Sector Commander, Mr Kumar Tsukwam, at his palace in Minna.
The traditional ruler promised continuous partnership between the Emirate Council and the FRSC, to further sensitise motorists on the need to adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations.
“I commend the ingenuity of FRSC and its commitment to ensuring total reduction of accidents on our roads,” he said.
Bahago urged the agency to install speed limit device in all vehicles to minimise restlessness among the commercial vehicle drivers.
Earlier, Tsukwam decried the unsafe practice of overloading of vehicles with animals and persons, resulting in loss of lives and property on the roads.
He also called for proper regulation of commercial motorcycle operations, to curb crimes and enhance safety in communities.
The official commended the support of traditional institutions for always encouraging their subjects to obey the traffic rules and regulations.
He described overloading and dangerous driving, especially at road bends, as a major challenge being faced by the corps in the state.
“We will continue to be visible on all the major highways, to properly monitor road users and preventing accidents in our area of supervision,” he said.
Tsukwam advised all vehicle owners to register their vehicles appropriately by procuring the new number plates and ensuring that their vehicles were roadworthy at all times.
He said that vehicles still carrying old number plates would be impounded, adding that overloaded vehicles would be seized in accordance with the extant laws.
According to Tsukwam, accidents do not just happen, they are caused by disobedience to traffic laws and regulations.