By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto
The FRSC Zone RS1 Kaduna, in collaboration with the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation, National Ear Centre, Sight Savers, and Kaduna State, organized a two-day medical outreach aimed at promoting road safety and addressing medical conditions affecting the local population.
In his remarks at the event, the Zonal Commanding Officer of Zone RS1 Kaduna, Assistant Corps Marshal Ahmad Umar, explained that the workshop focused on raising awareness and reducing the impact of road traffic crashes within the zone.
“The objective of this medical outreach aligns with the 2024 FRSC Ember Months campaign themed Speak Up Against Dangerous Driving, Crashes Kill More Passengers Than Drivers,” said Ahmad. “The goal is to raise awareness about the right of passengers to speak out against dangerous driving by errant drivers who often put safety at risk.”
He emphasized that by speaking up, passengers could help ensure safer mobility into the new year. Ahmad highlighted several factors contributing to road accidents, including overspeeding, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, not wearing seat belts, riding motorcycles without helmets, and distracted driving.
“These issues are all observable, and passengers are strongly encouraged to speak out against reckless driving, as road traffic crashes kill more passengers than drivers,” he said.
In Kaduna State, the FRSC statistics indicate a downward trend in road crashes, in line with the World Health Organization’s Global Status Report for 2023.
To further address these issues, Corps Marshal Shehu Muhammad mni announced that FRSC visibility would be enhanced through the deployment of officers and logistics to ensure safe mobility into 2025.
“A total of 868 officers and 2,996 marshals will be deployed, along with 102 patrol vehicles and associated authority devices. Additionally, tour trucks and power bikes will be engaged in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, and Jigawa states,” he said.
The outreach also provided medical tests for participants, including checks for blood pressure, hearing impairments, malaria, asthma, and cataracts, along with remedies for these conditions.
The Special Guest of Honor, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa, Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, represented by the State Commissioner for Health, commended the FRSC Kaduna Zone for the initiative, emphasizing its significance in ensuring the health and safety of citizens, particularly during the Ember Months, a period often marked by increased road traffic and heightened travel activities, leading to a rise in road crashes.
She urged the FRSC to intensify its awareness efforts and implement proactive measures to protect lives and property.
“The 2024 Ember Months campaign, Speak Up Against Dangerous Driving and Associated Dangers, is timely and thought-provoking. It calls all road users—drivers, passengers, and pedestrians—to collectively ensure safer roads,” Dr. Sabuwa said.
She also noted that one of the causes of road accidents is the poor condition of roads. “The Uba Ahmad-led administration has committed a significant part of the infrastructure budget, N106 billion, which represents 13.4% of the total budget, to the completion of ongoing road construction in the state.”
The event was attended by several key figures, including the National President of the Road Safety Officers’ Wives Association, the CMD of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Kaduna, the CMD of the National Ear Care Centre, representatives from the Nigerian Air Force, and Special Marshals from the NYSC RSC, among others.
