In a sustained efforts towards making the highways safer and eradicating all incidences of road traffic crashes and its attendant fatalities, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has urged Administrators of Local Governments in the country to relocate markets from the highways, noting that this will help the existing operational efforts of the FRSC towards enhancing the safety of the entire motoring population.
According to Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Public Education Officer, the Corps Marshal made this call while decrying the recent road traffic crash caused by break failure and loss of control that claimed multiple lives at the Ibaka area of Akungba Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State on Saturday evening.
Lamenting the huge loss of lives and damage to properties occasioned by the unfortunate but avoidable occurrence, Oyeyemi explained that the crash occurred at about 6.30 pm on Sarturday 31 October, 2020, when a DAF Truck loaded with bags of rice rammed into the stalls in the market and crashed into a Toyota Camry saloon car, Toyota corolla and 3 other motorcycles.
The fatal crash involved a total of 23 people comprising of 11 male adults, 3 male children, 7 female adult and 2 female children. Out of the 23 people involved, a total of 7 people comprising of 3 male adults, 3 female adult and 1 male child were rescued with different degrees of injuries and taking to the hospital.
While 16 people got killed comprising of 8 male adults, 2 male children, 4 female adult and 2 female children and the dead bodies have been deposited at Specialist Hospital Ikare and General Hospital Iwaro Oka mortuaries respectively by FRSC emergency rescue teams.
The Corps Marshal who spoke extensively on the urgency of such relocation also revealed that the Corps is concerned with the rising statistics of innocent citizens who have lost their lives as a result of building markets close to the highways and has since initiated impact oriented operational strategies to curb the menace.
He however lamented that the strategies no matter how good will not yield desired results if the government at the grassroots did not rise to the responsibility of relocating those markets.
Commiserating with the families of the victims, the Corps Marshal advised road users to be more disciplined, maintain their vehicles regularly and maintain prescribed speed limits at all times especially crowded places like markets.
GOV. AKEREDOLU VISITS SCENE OF AKUNGBA FATAL ACCIDENT, DIRECTS CARE FOR VICTIMS
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has paid a condolence visit to the Akungba Community over the weekend accident which claimed lives of some residents of the town.
Governor Akeredolu who described the incident as a tragedy sympathised with the people and the Alale of Akungba, Oba Isaac Adeyeye who led hundreds of residents to receive the governor and his entourage.
The Governor assured of Government assistance to the victims while efforts would also be made to get the owner of the articulated vehicle that caused the accident to pay adequate compensation for losses suffered by the people.
Speaking on ways to forestall a repeat of similar tragedy, Governor Akeredolu said expert advice would be sought on what to do but advised the people to desist from roadside trading which could be dangerous to their safety.
He directed the Chairman of Akoko Southwest Local Government Council, Augustine Oloruntogbe and the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture Asiwaju Gboyega Adefarati to follow up on the injured in various hospitals for government immediate action.
Arakunrin Akeredolu also enjoined officials of Federal Road Safety Commission to assist in clearing off the road for early resumption of free flow of vehicular traffic.
Earlier the Alale of Akungba Akoko, Oba Isaac Adeyeye appreciated the governor for his condolence visit which he said was a smoothing balm on his people.
The Royal Father said the community was already taking some steps to discourage roadside trading on major highways in the town before the unfortunate incidence occurred.
Governor Akeredolu was accompanied on the trip by his Chief of Staff, Chief Olugbenga Ale, the Head of Service, Mr Dare Aragbaiye , Special Adviser on Political Matters, Rt Hon Victor Olabimtan and the Special Adviser on Rural and Community Development, Hon Babatunde Kolawole