Dele Ogbodo in Abuja
The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has said Nigeria lost three per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to road accident in 2015.
The loss, according to him, amounts to $131,817,676,080, adding that the economic losses have been grievous and monumental.
The disclosure was made in a statement signed by the commission Head of Media and Strategy, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, yesterday in Abuja saying Nigeria had over 1060 crashes in 2015, while 1,115,683 crashes were recorded globally.
The statement said: “Three hundred and seventy thousand, nine hundred and forty five people (370, 945) were killed, while 1,153,745 were injured.”
The FRSC boss disclosed that 82 per cent of all road crashes which occurred in the country under the period were caused by human factor.
To reduce road accident, he advocated that human factor must be addressed, adding that: “Addressing the human factor means that the nation could be on the path to ensuing safety on its roads.”
Oyeyemi solicited the support of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs to join hands with the FRSC to create public awareness on road safety, saying such partnership is in line with the Quarnic injunctions.
Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III who also doubles as the Head of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), has called for support for FRSC towards ensuring safer and accident-free road in the country.
The Sultan, while calling for collaboration between FRSC and NCCIA, urged Oyeyemi to continue with his road safety advocacy drive through taking road safety campaign to every nook and cranny of the country.
Abubakar, while also soliciting for the support of stakeholders on road safety, commended the FRSC management for its commitment to road safety campaigns, saying with support from relevant stakeholders, the nation’s roads will become safe for all.
He said the council had decided to extend its invitation to the FRSC to make a presentation on road safety in view of the need for members of the public, particularly the Muslims in the country, to take issues of road safety serious.
The Sultan warned against recklessness and impunity on the part of road users who do not consider the safety of others, adding that such behaviour is against the dictates of Islam, as he enjoined Muslims to avoid acts that could endanger the lives of others.
