FRSC PARTNERS NIGERIAN BREWERIES ON RESPONSIVE DRINKING

Further to its multi-sectoral approach  towards addressing the menace of road crashes in Nigeria; especially during the yuletide, the Federal Road Safety Corps has renewed its partnership with the Nigerian Breweries Plc on responsive drinking among motorists, through the flag-off of the 2011 edition of  ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ safety awareness campaign.

Speaking at a rally in Lagos, the FRSC Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Osita Chidoka emphasised that alcohol-related road crashes  and poor traffic conduct of motorcycle operators in the country, poses serious challenges to the Corps and other stakeholders in the desire to make the roads safer.

The Corps Marshal who was represented by the Corps Public Education Officer, Nseobong Akpabio, recalled with concern, the dedication of a ward by the Igbobi Hospital management to okada-related crashes  as a result of avoidable road crashes.
He also lamented that despite the safety measures put in place, obvious hazards such as drunk-driving/riding, non-availability of functional lights, poor  maintenance, overloading and speed violation were on the increase and urged motorists to raise the bar on safety consciousness as the yuletide and new year approach.

According to him, alcohol-related road crashes have remained a major global concern , which has taken the front burner over the years, adding that “the Corps in compliance with the United Nations decade of action for road safety, has developed its awareness campaigns and enforcement of traffic rules around four major pillars of  drunk-driving, use of mobile phone while driving, overloading and speed violation”.

In the same vein, he stated that the FRSC has invested massively on process, people and technology through the installation of 345 V-Sat networking and interconnectivity to ensure real time information sharing and effective administrative process among the formations of the Corps, nationwide.

The Corps Marshal also commended the Nigerian Breweries for incorporating the UN decade of action for road safety into this year’s edition of the joint campaign and urged other corporate agencies in the public and private sector to emulate this sustained partnership.
Earlier in his presentation, the  Social Responsibility/ Corporate Affairs Manager of the Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Vivian Ikem said that the safety awareness programme which was initiated in 2006, is in partial fulfilment of the Nigerian Breweries  corporate social responsibility to enthrone a culture of responsive drinking among all category of road users in Nigeria, especially during the festive season.

The programme witnessed the distribution of 1,000 safety helmets among okada operators  and safety handbills to reinforce the campaign on responsive drinking in the country.