The Ogun Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has promised to partner with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to ensure safety of lives in the state.
It said that the partnership would also help to reduce the high death rate on the state’s major highways.
The Corps Commandant, Mr Clement Oladele, said this when he led a delegation of principal officers of the Corps to the DPR, Abeokuta field office, on Thursday.
According to Oladele, the partnership has become necessary due to the alarming rate of road crashes involving trucks transporting petroleum products across Ogun.
He noted that the partnership would include the training of some petroleum truck drivers across the state, as well as acquaint them with the best practices in road safety awareness.
He said that bad behaviours and lack of professionalism among drivers were always responsible for most recurring accidents on the highways, hence, the need to train them.
The commandant said, “We are here because we are bothered by the truck structure, including the trailers.
“ We are not domiciled here, but we do operations here. So, if anything happens, so long as it happens in Ogun, we must take full responsibility for it.
“For the crashes that are happening, especially those involving tankers and trucks, we feel that we should come here and partner with you; and jointly find solutions to it.’’
He said that the FRSC has a work structure which is divided into two areas: public enlightenment and enforcement.
“Before we enforce, we must educate the people because if they are not well educated, it becomes very difficult to punish them.
“We feel if we join hands and train the truck drivers; it will in the long run bring mutual benefits to us. Our aim is reducing road crashes along the major highways,” he said.
The Operations Controller for DPR in Ogun, Mrs Muinat Bello-Zagi, bemoaned the rate of fatalities involving trucks in the state.
She said that there was the need to organise public enlightenment for petroleum truck drivers.
She said that the DPR would partner with the FRSC by taking such awareness programmes to the major depots in Ogun and Lagos states.
“We believe if we take the public enlightenment there, it will assist in reducing traffic on the highways. We are doing this alongside all the other stakeholders and the FRSC is a very relevant stakeholder.
“Safety is key to us at the DPR. Our primary aim is to ensure the safety of lives and property.
“We appreciate you, we will be partnering with you and we will continue to collaborate with you,” she said.
