ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, ALHAJI ABDULFATAH AHMED, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KWARA STATE ON THE OCCASION OF THE COMMISSIONING OF THE NEW FRSC KWARA SECTOR COMMAND OFFICE COMPLEX ON MONDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER, 2017
Courtesies
It gives me great pleasure to be here on the occasion of the commissioning of the new Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Kwara Sector Command Office Complex.
Let me begin by congratulating the FRSC, under the able leadership of its Corps Marshall, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, on the construction of this office complex.
I must also commend the Federal Road Safety Corps for ensuring the highways are safe for motorists and other road users, by checking the road worthiness of vehicles Read also: Saraki condemns Military for proscribing IPOB terrorist group and educating the public on the importance of road discipline.
It is pleasing to note that, among other things, the FRSC is collaborating with State agencies to develop a reliable national database for all vehicles in the country. I urge you to keep up the good work. While the FRSC has contributed significantly to the reduction of road accidents by promoting and enforcing safer road rules, road transportation remains a risky form of travel.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO),over 3,400 people die on the world’s roads every day while millions of people are injured or disabled every year in road accidents.
While road traffic deaths vary significantly by region, the WHO also states that Africa has the highest number of road traffic-related deaths in the world, with pedestrian and cyclist deaths accounting for 43% of road traffic deaths.
These grim statistics underline the need for state and non-state actors to partner with the FRSC to make our roads safer for commuters and motorists. Read also: JUST IN: 15 feared dead in suicide attack
Although several factors are identified as responsible for the avoidable carnage on our roads, the state of our roads perhaps play a role. Having recognized this and the need to lubricate the social and economic lives of our people due to roads being the dominant form of transportation in the country, my administration has embarked on various strategies to keep road users safe.
In this regard, we have commenced the second phase of the Light-Up Kwara, an innovative solar-powered street light project. The aim of the project is to enhance safety and reduce the risk of road accidents, especially at night.
So far, streetlights have been installed along Kulende Estate Junction-Maraba, stretching through Muritala road while that of Surulere to Oja-Oba is ongoing. Other routes to be covered include General Roundabout-Oja-Oba, Offa Garage-Unity roundabout, Michael Imoudu-Offa Garage, and other roads across the state.
Also, in recognition of the importance of road infrastructure to safety, we have implemented several road projects across the state under the Kwara State Infrastructure Fund, (IF-K) to the tune of N7b.
Among road projects embarked on are dualization of Kulende-UITH-Oke Ose road, Geri- Alimi Split Diamond Interchange, Share-Oke-Ode Road, Egbejila-Airport Road and Megida Arobadi Road, to mention a few.
Indeed, IFK’s success has demonstrated the benefits of partnering with the private sector to fund key infrastructure projects. Read also: CJN swear-in 28 SANs, sues for integrity
While I remain an advocate of stronger Federal/State synergy in the funding and provision of infrastructure, it is time we leveraged more on the private sector to provide key infrastructure which as we all know is a major driver of social and economic development.
I therefore urge the private sector to synergize with governments under Public Private Partnership model to establish and fund infrastructure projects on a sustainable basis.
PPP approaches ensure efficiency, guarantee funding for projects and insulate infrastructure from the challenges associated with government financing of projects.
In the interim, the relevant agencies have been mandated to ensure that roads are safe for motorists through appropriate road signs, enforcement of standard protocols in road safety and maintenance of quality standards.
Furthermore, we have strengthened the Kwara Road Traffic Management Authority (KWARTMA) and the Kwara State Road Maintenance Agency (KWARMA) through purchase of operational equipment and increased funding to boost efficiency.
In conclusion, I urge road users to Read also: Olubadan urged to appoint new Chiefs obey all traffic laws, be mindful of other road users and work with the Federal Road Safety Corps in ensuring road safety.
Once again, I congratulate the FRSC on today’s occasion. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
Thank you and God bless.
Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed,
Executive Governor,
Kwara State
Monday, 18th September, 2017