Road accidents: Senate orders Works Ministry, FERMA to reconstruct all death traps

ABUJA—Senate yesterday mandated the Federal Ministry of Works and Federal Emergency Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, to urgently carry out a holistic reconstruction of all portions of the country’s roads that had become death trap to the motoring public. The Senate also urged the federal government and other relevant agencies to establish ambulances on major highways, saying that would go a long way to saving lives of people involved in ghastly motor accidents. Also yesterday, the upper chambers had a minute silence for the six medical doctors and the driver from Ekiti State who died in a ghastly motor accident on Sunday, April 24, 2016, on their way to the 54th Annual Conference of Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, in Sokoto State. File: One of the bad roads in Bayelsa The Senate also condoled with the families of the departed, the government and the people of Ekiti State, NMA and prayed for the quick recovery of the survivors, just as it asked the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, to step up public enlightenment campaign on the use of highway codes and safe motoring. These resolutions were sequel to a motion by Senator Duro Faseyi (PDP) Ekiti North. According to Faseyi, road accidents in Nigeria have become too many that it required drastic action. He added that the Senate was disturbed that road accident remained the leading cause of death in Nigeria year in, year out. In the presentation of the motion, Senator Faseyi expressed grief over the six medical doctors and their driver in the fatal accident. In his contribution, Senator Theodore Orji was, however, emphatic that something beyond imagination must have led to the series of accidents on Kaduna – Abuja Highway, since late Minister of State, James Ocholi, also died at the same spot with his wife and son. Similarly, Senator Shehu Sani (APC), Kaduna Central, noted that he was the first to have visited the scene of the accident on Kaduna Road, explaining that there were no supernatural forces responsible for accidents on Kaduna Road. According to him, what is required is for  Nigerians to do the right thing by ensuring that there was adequate funding of Federal Road Safety Corps as well as establishment of hospitals on highways. He said: “I was the first to visit the injured six medical doctors from Ekiti State and the scene of the accident. I want to assure Senator Orji that there are no spirits on that road, but the spirit is in Nigerians to do the right things.” Also contributing, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, PDP, Abia North, called for a review of the Act establishing Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, restricting them to basic maintenance of roads rather than engage  in huge contract awards which was the responsibility of Federal Ministry of Works. In his remarks, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who noted that  road crashes had brought out the ineptitude of responsive mechanism of relevant agencies, however, prayed that things would change. He said: “It is obvious now that road accidents on Nigeria roads have brought out ineffective response mechanism and I think this should be looked into, with a view to strengthening relevant agencies.”

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