Iyayi: FRSC takes over govs’ convoys

Posted by admin Governors, Headlines, Top Stories Friday, November 15th, 2013

By SINA OLAYINKA and SEYE OJO

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has directed its operatives to henceforth lead the convoy of cars in governors’ entourage as part of measures to curb the excesses of the drivers.

The directive followed last Tuesday’s fatal auto crash involving the convoy of Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, which claimed the life of former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Festus Iyayi.

This was made known yesterday in Ado Ekiti by the FRSC Sector Commander for the state, Rindim Kumven, at the commencement of activities marking the Africa Road Safety Day and World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, even as the FRSC said it was investigating the crash.

The ex-union leader died at about noon on Tuesday along Banda village, about 10 kilometres from Lokoja, the state capital, when he was going to attend ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) congress at the Bayero University, Kano (BUK), which was meant to resolve the over four months old lecturers’ strike.

Iyayi was said to have breathed his last as a result of excessive bleeding, resulting from an object, which pierced through his heart during the accident. He was also alleged to be hypertensive, in view of the discovery of a pair of Novasc, an anti-hypertensive drug found beside his seat.

The directive came as the Corps Marshall of FRSC, Osita Chidoka, said in Abuja yesterday that no driver in the convoy of the Kogi State governor has undergone a special training, which the commission initiated to ensure that every driver in the convoy of public office holders knows the rule of engagement.

Meanwhile, Kumven stated that the commission has been devising various strategies including public enlightenment campaigns and regular patrols of major highways to reduce incidences of road crashes, affirming that inclusion of FRSC operatives in the convoys of state chief executives would improve safety whenever they are on the roads.

The sector commander stressed the need for road users to obey speed limit rules and other traffic regulations, which he stated informed the choice of this year’s theme: Let’s have roads that are safe for all.

He also called on the Ekiti State Government to enact a law that would ban the sale of alcoholic drinks within the radius of motor parks to discourage public transport drivers from drinking and operating under the influence of alcohol which he said had led to auto crashes and loss of lives.
-Sunwp_posts