Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya has flagged-off of 2020 Ember Month Campaign in an effort to reduce carnage on roads to the barest minimum.
Preforming the event at Gombe Line Transport Service Terminus in the metropolis, the Governor lamented that in spite of concerted efforts by the Federal Road Safety Corps, road crashes have continued to task the ingenuity and technical capacity of enforcement agencies.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, the Governor noted that the greatest challenge to road safety management in Nigeria remains the poor attitude and psychology of the average Nigerian road user regardless of economic and social stratum.
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He said “Ember Months” over the years have come to represent the peak of human and vehicular movements in Nigeria. The celebration of the yuletide, the congregation of individuals, communities, and groups for various socio-cultural festivities and celebrations at this period of the year and the prospects of a successful transition to a new year are reasons for this age-long seasonal movement with associated road crashes and traffic management problems “.
He described the theme” Drive safe and stay safe” as well chosen in view of the mindless destruction of lives and property witnessed on daily basis on the high ways.
The Governor stressed that maintaining safety on roads is a collective responsibility which requires the synergy of all stakeholders, expressing his administration’s commitment to partner FRSC, and other law enforcement agencies, various unions to ensure that road traffic violations are tamed.
He called on the citizens to be law abiding and obey traffic rules and regulations in line with the year’s ” Ember Month ” campaign theme” Drive safe, stay safe” towards minimizing road traffic accidents and safe valuable lives and properties of the people.
The Commissioner of Works, Engr. Abubakar Bappa, who is also the chairman of the occasion, commended the FRSC for embarking on the Ember months campaign towards protection of lives and property of people.
In his remarks, the Zonal Commanding Officer, R53 Headquarters, Yola, Adamawa state, Assistant Corps Marshall Edward A. Zamber, said, the zone comprises three states of Adamawa, Taraba, and Gombe.
Represented by Deputy Corps Commander Patrick Davou, the Zonal Commanding Officer pointed out that the beauty of embarking on a journey is to arrive safe, calling on the road users to abide by traffic rules and regulations for their own safety.
Delivering the address of welcome, the Sector Commander, Gombe State Sector Command, Corps Commander Ishaku Gabmi Ibrahim explained that Ember months represents period in the time peak of rains, hazy harmattan and heightened human and vehicular activities from September to December.
He added that because the period is characterized by accidents, the FRSC embarks on massive enlightenment campaigns in mosques, churches and parks with a view to reducing the accidents.
He advised against overloading, high speeding use of phones while driving and other traffic laws for safety of lives and properties.
