From Ron Jacob, Jos.
The Federal Road Safe Corps (FRSC) on Monday admonished clergymen on the need to task their congregationz on the dangers of road traffic crashes to avoid waste of innocent lives.
The FRSC Pankshin Unit Commander, Mr Nnamdi Ikeh-Akabogu, gave the admonition during a Town Hall meeting it organised for the Clergy in Pankshin Local Government Area in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pankshin Branch, Plateau State.
The meeting was held at COCIN Church RCC Pankshin, with the theme: “It’s appointed to man to die but not through road traffic crash’’.
Ikeh-Akabogu told the clergymen to consider the meeting as a rare privilege for them to reach out to their members with tips and information on how to stay alive from road crashes that kill millions of people across the country.
He noted that 90 percent of road traffic crashes occurred as a result of several reasons which include over loading, speeding, impatience and sheer recklessness of drivers, among others.
“FRSC deemed it fit to talk to you the leaders of the congregations first knowing full well that you always get to your members and enlighten them on the danger of road crashes.
“When an accident occurs, the result is either death or injuries which consequences are always regrettable and painful with little power to reverse the results, ’’ he said.
The Guest of Honour, Chief Adebola Adeloowo, the Oba of Yoruba in Pankshin/Kanke, expressed happiness that the CAN had the love of its members at heart by organising such a town hall meeting.
He charged them not to relent in their desire to save their congregation from both spiritual and physical deaths adding that they should do all they could to ensure that people were well enlightened about dangers of road crashes.
Rev Barnabas Kebang, CAN Chairman, thanked the FRSC for considering it worthy to enlighten the Church on the dangers of road traffic accidents, which he described as “very timely’’ and “worthwhile.’’
He pledged to see that CAN would consider holding such sensitisation meetings twice a year beside the Church to Church enlightenment campaign that would be introduced to help keep their members abreast of road safety issues.
Mr Daniel Idoko, one of the the resource persons took the clergymen on various teachings on road crashes starting from its definition to tips on how to avoid them as driver, passenger, or pedestrian.
Idoko said that all road users, including motorists, cyclists, truck pushers, children and even animals were faced with the dangers of road crashes and so everyone should be very careful and patient in the use of the road.’
According to him, the business of staying alive is everybody’s business so the general public should adhere to traffic rules and regulations to avoid any crash on the roads.