Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday at the Federal Road Safety Corps’ (FRSC) headquarters, Abuja inaugurated the National Traffic Radio, 107.1 FM.
Performing the inauguration, Osinbajo described the radio station as an important and strategic initiative in several respects.
According to him, the service will enable effective dissemination of relevant information on road safety and the provision of up-to-date information on road conditions, as well as traffic status and security to the public.
The vice president said beyond the core objective of enhancing the operations of the FRSC personnel, the radio station would also be useful in reaching far flung areas for teaching.
He said it would help in dissemination of public health advisories and general information to Nigerians.
Osinbajo featured in the radio station’s traffic report programme, where he gave live traffic situation report across the country, particularly from areas in and around the FCT, Jos and Lagos.
He was funny and jovial about it.
“Good afternoon, wherever you are in this great country, this is Yemi Osinbajo, your always ready, always accurate traffic reporter, updating you on the traffic situation across the nation.
“So, let’s go to the FCT; as of few minutes ago, the Keffi-Abuja inward section, traffic from Nyanya under bridge to Kugbo, toward the city centre, is slightly free flowing, no impediments reported.
“Umaru Musa Yar’adua way, the situation report shows that there is free flow of traffic on both sections of the expressway.
“Kubwa-Katampe, Wuse-Berger, traffic services unit reports affirm that there is seamless traffic flow with moderate movement of vehicles.
“Traffic update along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as at 11:45a.m did say the inward corridor and section of the expressway is experiencing very slow but moving traffic from the stretch of lotto to NASFAT, Chinese company around Magboro, Punch-Arepo inward, Warewa, due to high influx of vehicles and the narrowed lane around the construction area.
“The sharp bend coupled with picking and dropping of passengers, all that is causing some slow movement around that area.”
Osinbajo said traffic from Plateau from about 12 mid-day, general traffic within Jos-Bukuru metropolis was free flowing. He admonished Jos-Hawan Kibo, motorists to be mindful of hills and steep bends around Hawan Kibo.
“Also, Jos-Bukuru-Vom is experiencing free flow of traffic, while motorists are advised to be careful around Ganaruwa hill.
“Jos metropolis, road users navigating inward Polo-Gada Biu through the metropolis should be mindful of heavy duty vehicles and drive with extreme care. At Hill station roundabout to Polo roundabout axis is a sloppy terrain.
“So, the general conclusion is that road users are enjoined to obey traffic rules, avoid dangerous driving and use the roads as responsibly as possible.
“All is going to be well today, this is going to be a great and exciting day. I am sure you are going to have some really good news. Thank you dear listeners, stay safe always,” he said.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the FRSC Corps Marshall, Boboye Oyeyemi, said the radio station was borne out of the need to improve on public enlightenment.
Oyeyemi said he noticed the gap when he came in 2014 and worked toward bridging it.
He said the first thing he did was to study what the Lagos Traffic Radio was doing and believed it could be cascaded to the national level.
“And I shared my idea with them and what we have today is history; we now have a National Traffic Radio.
“This is just the phase one and with this, it covers Abuja and environs and also on the Google Play Station, you can download National Traffic Radio app and you can listen to it in any part of the country; also, we stream on the website.
“The implication is that every hour, we give the traffic situation nationwide and crash situation and we also encourage road users that as you are travelling, if we see a broken down vehicle or a crash or anything that is happening, you can call the toll-free line 122 or you call straight to the traffic radio studio.
“It is to get the public to be involved in road safety management and like the vice president said, road safety is a collective responsibility.
“All Nigerians must join hands with the corps to make sure that we reduce the carnage on our highways,” he said.
