The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has intensified its engagement with relevant stakeholders in Ebonyi to achieve a crash-free Ember Months in 2025.
The FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Anthony Ogbodo, said during a town-hall meeting it organised on Monday in Abakaliki, that the command was desirous to make roads across the state safe within the prevailing period.
Ogbodo said that the town hall meeting was to provide a platform of sharing ideas, reviewing challenges and strengthening cooperation in ensuring safer roads throughout the high-traffic period.
“The ember months are characterised by increased vehicular movements, heightened commercial activities and greater social events.
“These factors combine to raise the risk of road traffic crashes often due to human factors such as impatience, speeding, overloading and more recently distracted driving.
“We wish to correct the erroneous belief that the ember months are evil or spiritually manipulated as most crashes which occur during the period are due to human factors,” he said.
Ogbodo noted that the command was leveraging on the theme of the 2025 ember months campaign: “Take Responsibility for Your Safety; Stop Distracted Driving” for its public enlightenment.
“Distracted driving refers to activities which divert the driver’s attention while driving such as using mobile phones, adjusting car devices and discussing with passengers among others.
“These distractions may seem harmless but can lead to fatal consequences within seconds.
“Distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of road crashes on our roads. Drivers should understand that no phone call or message for instance, is worth human life,” he said.
The Ebonyi Commissioner for Transport, Mr Collins Igboke, commended the FRSC for its proactiveness in ensuring crash-free roads in the state.
He noted that the corps had saved many lives on the roads with its proactiveness and pledged the continued support of the state government in achieving its goals.
“I urge our people to obey traffic regulations to stay alive as the riches one couldn’t acquire from January to August cannot be gotten in the ember months through road recklessness,” Igboke said.
Mr James Igwe, the State Chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RETEAN) urged the FRSC personnel to show empathy to drivers due to several personal burdens which distract them on the road.
“The harsh economic realities in the country for instance have continued to take its toll on the people. The government on its part should enhance road infrastructure across the state and country,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that representatives of other security agencies, transport fleet operators, among others made valuable contributions during the event.
