The Technical Working Group (TWG) set up by Enugu State Government to ensure uniform standards on traffic enforcement, vehicle inspection and make recommendations to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on issues that require national regulation and standards, on Thursday, met to deliberate on ways to enhance efficient road safety management in the state.
Speaking at the maiden meeting held in Government House, Enugu, the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, said the group’s mandate is to ensure efficient road safety that will bring peace to the people.
Ezeilo, who is the chairman of Road Safety Advisory Council in the state, said the meeting was also to ensure better road safety management.
She called on the members to speak out on the causes of road accident and suggest solutions to it.
In his contribution, the Federal Road Safety Corps, Enugu State Sector Commander, Joseph Udoabba, said that the major cause of road accident is disobedience.
According to him, people do not want to obey road traffic rules. He pointed out that some government officials do not obey traffic rules and believed they are above the law.
The commander suggested that, the state emergency ambulances should be stationed at the strategic points in some parts of the state for easy access and transportation of accident victims to the hospital.
Udoabba who is also the Secretary of the the Technical Working Group, suggested that the emergency call centres in the state be linked to the FRSC Command’s emergency call centres for quick response.
He called for continues sensitisation of road users through the media, Religion and Educational Institutions as well as other places of gathering.
He called on Enugu state government to find means of helping road accident victims in off-setting their hospital bill.
The Sector commander explained that some hospitals made things difficult for the Road Safety personnel by refusing to treat accident victims brought to them.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Enugu State, Ogbonna Idike, said that the meeting was apt as the purpose was to proffer solutions to road accidents.
He said, “Most times, some of us see Ministry of Transport (MOT) Traffic Officers as our enemy when they call us to order.
“Safeguarding the road against accident is a continues exercise and I expect periodic meetings.
“I therefore suggest that, we prepare an annual budget that we are going to summit to the governor for easy running of this huge assignment.
“Once Enugu State is safe, everybody is safe”, Idike said
In his speech at the meeting, the secretary of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Enugu Chapter, Dr. Aloy Ugwuoke said that doctors were always reminded that their mandate was to safe lives, which they do not neglect.
He said that communication gap between the members of the public and hospitals was a major problem encountered by doctors in attending to accident victims.
Ugwuoke said that most times people do not know the right place to take an accident victim, the right way to carry the person which sometimes resulted in what could have been a minor injury, turning out to be a major one
He, therefore, called for synergy in communication so that the doctors will be aware whenever a victim is coming to the hospital.
He also suggested that, the committee should form a sub-committee to take care of victim’s medical bills.
“Doctors are afraid of what happens after saving the life, who will pay the bills as most of the patience were being abandoned at the hospital,”Ugwuoke said.
Representative of the Commissioner of Police, Enugu Police Command, Assitant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Victor Erivwode, in his contribution, said that daily accident that occurred on the road was as a result of impatience.
“Though people lack patience when it comes to road application, some uniform men made things difficult for the traffic regulators.
“Uniform men should also be sensitised along other road users and let them know that, there are no special treatment for any road user, “he said
The ACP suggested that the committee be given a legal backing for them to carry out enforcement.
Others who spoke at the meeting were representatives of Enugu state fire service, ministry of health, Tricycle Association, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, (SON), National Council for Women and Society, (NCWS), National Union of Road Transport Workers among others
