By SAMUEL AWOYINFA, Ota
The concern for Road Traffic Safety awareness and road crash reduction re-echoed as the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE, Ota Divisional Command laid the foundation of its Road Safety Enlightenment Centre, situated within its premises at Ota.
The initiative is in line with the mandate given by the most senior TRACE officer, and who is also in charge of the day to day activities and schedule of duty of the agency, Cmdr. Elias Omonayajo, fcai, in the area of sensitization and enlightenment to boost and reinforce road safety culture among the drivers, motorists and residents in the state.
Leading the move for the construction of the Centre is the Divisional TRACE Commander, Ota,Cdr Hammed Salau.
During the brief but memorable foundation laying ceremony, Cdr Salau gave reasons for the project, stating that it was aimed at giving road safety enlightenment, education and sensitization to all categories of road users, especially motorists and riders who run foul of road safety rules, and also those who want to learn about road safety matters while behind the wheel and on the road.
Divisional TRACE Commander, Ota, Cdr Hammed Salau, thanked God for the opportunity to lay the foundation of the Enlightenment Centre in Ota Divisional Command. He posited that the construction of the centre is aimed at reducing road crashes on our roads, in addition to cultivating attitudinal change and behavioral re-modification by users of the road.
In his words, “The centre would serve as a centre to enlighten not only traffic offenders but students, other stakeholders and all those who want to learn about road safety”.
He acknowledged the contributions of stakeholders in the Division who contributed both funds and materials to the construction of the centre.
He called on other corporate organizations, industries and well meaning individuals in the jurisdiction to emulate those of them who made the centre possible and also give back to the community and the society.
“We noted the importance of the Road Traffic Enlightenment Centre because some bread winners had been killed in avoidable road crashes. That is why we came up with this project,” Cdr Salau added.
He hopes that the project would be completed this year, and the stakeholders would be called again during its official inauguration.
Speaking in the same vein, Cdr Victoria Olaoke, TRACE Corridor Commander, Ota, Ijoko and Ijako, who joined Cdr Salau while laying the foundation of the Centre among other stakeholders, noted that the laying of the foundation was symbolic as it is happening during the ‘Ember Months’, associated with increased and heavy flow of vehicular and human movement.
She said TRACE believes “enlightenment is key in road traffic management and so, must take centre stage”.
“We are to keep creating road safety awareness and sensitization because it is through this that we can improve road safety education on the part of the motorists and other categories of road users before welding the big stick, in form of apprehension for the recalcitrant ones.”
“This is one of the means for us to educate them and change their warped orientation on road safety measures.
“This project makes more sense as it is being executed during the ‘Ember Months’, which is associated with increased vehicular and human traffic.”
She ruled out the myth tagging ‘Ember Months’ as bad months, but warned drivers and motorists to adopt the right attitude and behaviour while on the road and also operate on the side of caution and safety while on the wheel.
“However, in order to reduce the rate of accident in Ogun traffic corridors, that is why we at TRACE are contributing our own quota through this Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, as the Centre is being constructed with the help and support from critical stakeholders in the state.
“The Centre would reduce crashes and generate the right attitude and behaviour on our highways, not only in Ogun State but in Nigeria as a whole.
“This development is coming under the leadership of the Divisional TRACE Commander, Ota, Cdr Hammed Salau of which I am his supervisor.”
Stakeholders from the leadership of motorcycle, tricycle, articulated and other transport unions witnessed the foundation laying ceremony, and they all gave their support to the initiative, describing it “as a good idea and an impactful project which will add up to other road safety measures put in place to arrest road traffic challenges.”
