By RAJI RASAK

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) says it recorded 500 per cent increase in death rate along Lagos Badagry expressway between January and June 2022, when compared to the first six months in 2021.

Mr Sulaiman Taiwo, the Unit Commander, Badagry Unit Command of FRSC disclosed this during a retreat organiséd by the commission in Badagry on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat was organised with the theme, “Minimising The Risk of Death in Road Traffic Crash”.

According to Taiwo, the FRSC, in the first half of this year, has a record of 15 crashes, in which 113 people were involved while 26 were injured, and six died.

“Whereas, between January and June, 2021, we recorded eight crashes, 34 people were involved, 29 injured, with just one death.

“In the whole 2021, we recorded 19 crashes and the total death rate was seven.

“If one looks at the statistics, compared to what we had between January and June 2021, we have an increase of 500 per cent in death rate; this is too much,” he said.

The unit commander said that the cause of the increase was speed, using phone while driving, wrongful overtaking and lack of concentration on road.

Taiwo said that when the Lagos Badagry expressway was in bad shape, people were begging government to reconstruct it.

“Now that the government has attended to our plight and given us good road, we are killing ourselves.

“When the road was in bad shape, death rate was reduced, but now that the part of the expressway is better, we are killing ourselves.

“Bad or good road does not produce a good driver, but the ability to maintain bad or good road makes a good driver,” he said.

Taiwo said his command had adopted training and retraining of officers as a way to tackle the challenges.

“Our core responsibility, by the Federal Government, is to save lives and property, and we have to embark on it.

“We are not happy seeing our people dying in road crashes daily,” he said.

Mr Sulaiman Taiwo, the Unit Commander, FRSC Command, presenting an award to Alhaji Ganiyu Adelani, the Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Badagry Branch.

Also speaking, Alhaja Ganiyu Adelani, the Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Badagry Branch, commended the unit commander for his efforts in reducing road traffic crashes in Badagry.

Adelani appealed to motorists plying the expressway to drive carefully and reduce their speed.

NAN reports that some major stakeholders who had contributed to the success of the command were given awards.

They include Mr Samson Olatunde, the Chairman, Olounda Local Council Development Area (LCDA); Alhaji Ganiyu Adelani, Chairman IPMAN Badagry, and two of his personnel. (NAN)

•PHOTO: Sulaiman Taiwo, the Unit Commander, Badagry FRSC Command in a group photograph with stakeholders and some of his personnel during the Retreat Programme organised by his command on Tuesday

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