…….Deputy Governor Backs Functional Advisory Council, Safer School Zones, Improved FRSC Operations.
FIC REPORT (ABIA STATE) – The Abia State Government is intensifying efforts to reduce road crashes, strengthen emergency response and improve road safety across the state, as Deputy Governor Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu has pledged support for a functional Road Safety Advisory Council and enhanced operational capacity for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Emetu gave the assurance when the Abia State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Corps Commander Ngozi I. Ezeoma, and her team paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Umuahia, to seek the state government’s support for implementing the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy II, covering the 2021–2030 period.
The Deputy Governor said the government would give serious consideration to strengthening the Abia State Road Safety Advisory Council to coordinate road safety initiatives, establish priorities and promote effective collaboration among relevant ministries, departments, agencies and security institutions.
He described the FRSC commander’s presentation as informative, assuring the delegation that its recommendations would be presented to Governor Alex Chioma Otti for consideration and approval.
Emetu reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property, noting that road safety remained central to its people-oriented governance agenda.
“In the New Abia, we are well known to have a human face, and anything that will keep people on the path of safety is exactly what His Excellency will always champion,” he said.
He commended the FRSC for providing technical expertise, data and institutional support to strengthen the state’s road safety framework, while acknowledging the operational challenges confronting the corps, particularly the shortage of patrol vehicles.
According to him, Governor Otti was aware of the challenges, adding that the state government would progressively provide additional vehicles to the FRSC and other security agencies to enhance their operational effectiveness.
On emergency response to road crashes, Emetu called’s for a clear policy framework to identify priority location , define institutional responsibilities and provide the necessary support for effective rescue operations.
He emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among the FRSC, the Ministries of Health, Works, Transport, Environment and Education, the Nigerian Society of Engineers and other relevant stakeholders to ensure a coordinated approach to road safety.
The Deputy Governor also supported the introduction of speed breakers and other traffic-calming measures around primary and secondary schools to protect children and other vulnerable road users.
He identified impatience, disregard for traffic signs, drug and alcohol abuse, poor road-user behaviour and inadequate driver training as major factors contributing to road crashes.
Emetu particularly identified the Okwoyi axis as an area requiring attention because of reported crashes, urging relevant agencies to identify accident-prone locations across the state and introduce appropriate safety measures.
Earlier, the FRSC Sector Commander, Corps Commander Ngozi I. Ezeoma, appealed to the state government to strengthen the Road Safety Advisory Council and support the implementation of the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy II.
She explained that the strategy aims to achieve at least a 50 per cent reduction in road traffic fatalities and injuries by 2030, with a long-term vision of eliminating deaths resulting from road crashes.
Ezeoma said the strategy was built around five key pillars: road safety management, safer roads and mobility, safer vehicles, safer road users, and post-crash care.
She stressed that achieving these objectives required collective responsibility beyond traffic enforcement, noting that state governments played critical roles through road construction, urban planning, transportation policies, healthcare delivery and public education.
The sector commander urged the government to integrate essential safety features into infrastructure projects, including road signs, road markings, pedestrian crossings, street lighting, safety barriers and traffic-calming measures at high-risk locations.
She disclosed that the FRSC had previously conducted safety audits on newly constructed and existing roads in Abia with support from the state government through the Ministry of Works.
On post-crash care, Ezeoma called for improved emergency medical services, stronger ambulance operations, better referral systems and adequate support for designated hospitals to ensure prompt treatment for crash victims.
She also advocated incentives to sustain the National Community Post-Crash Care Initiative, through which trained community volunteers provide initia to assistance to victims before professional emergency responders arrive.
To improve safety for children and other vulnerable road users, she proposed establishing road safety clubs in schools, introducing safe-school-zone programmes, conducting public awareness campaigns on children’s transportation and improving pedestrian facilities around schools, markets, hospitals and motor Park.
The FRSC commander further requested additional patrol and rescue vehicles, as well as support to enable the newly established FRSC units at Ekwunna and Obowo to commence full operations.
She commended Governor Otti for his commitment to infrastructure development and road safety, particularly the donation of a new official vehicle to the sector commander for operational purposes.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Transport, Sir Isaac Ukaegbu, described the engagement as an important step towards strengthening6 collaboration between the state government and the FRSC.
Ukaegbu said the discussions aligned with the administration’s ongoing transformation of infrastructure and public transportation.
He added that the state was working towards a smart national transport database focused on electronic ticketing and traffic-violation control.
He assured the FRSC of the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with the corps on identified safety concerns, particularly those relating to the Prof. Nnenna Oti Mega Bus Terminal and other public transportation facilities.
The meeting underscored the commitment of the Abia State Government and the FRSC to strengthening road safety management, improving emergency response and reducing traffic-related deaths and injuries across the state.
Amah Ijeoma
FIC Correspondent office of the Deputy Governor
16/10/2026
