… Harps on Maintenance of Traffic Ordinance
By: Tochi Onyeubi
Following the tragic accident at the Imo state University roundabout Owerri on Saturday, which claimed nine lives, including an Imsu lecturer, Dr. Nicholas Chukwukere Isinwa and left many hospitalized, the Traditional Prime Minister of Owerri West, TPM Dr. Kelechukwu Okere has harped on the need to maintain traffic ordinances.
Dr. Okere commended the proactive action of the state government in visiting the hospitalized victims and paying off their hospital bills and appealed that they extend such graciousness to the families of the deceased.
TPM Okere observed with dismay that, commuters rarely obey traffic and safety rules while driving in the state capital. He stated that most drivers do not even carry out routine checks on their vehicles before putting it on the road every day.
“This is an opportunity for the Federal Road Safety to stand up to their responsibilities and ensure that traffic ordinances are maintained, carry out quarterly inspections of commercial vehicles to make sure they are fit for road worthiness. It is necessary for drivers to be trained on First Aid and CPR before obtaining driver’s license”. He advised.
He noted that some higher institutions across the state, do not have flyovers or even strict traffic rules which he said very risky, considering the high influx of activities in these areas.
TPM stressed that the road leading to the federal university of Technology which is a major expressway leading to Rivers and Bayelsa, should at least have a functional traffic sign and officers mounted to control vehicular activities or at best a flyer over to ease crossing of the busy road for children, students and residents. This he also said should go for other institutions cited in local communities.
The American based medical doctor, called on the government to ensure basic safety infrastructural frameworks, that are of world best standards, are deployed to prevent such terrible occurrence.
He also called the leadership drivers of big lorries as well as taxi buses to apply caution to forestall further occurrences, as well as stakeholders responsible, to checkmate activities of drivers around IMSU junction as that spot is not really safe for loading bay.
