Penpushing calls for federal government proactive provision of quality roads

The Penpushing Platform comprising notable personalities across the globe has called on urgent need for government and all Nigerians to pay closer attention to prevention of road accidents in order to preserve the sanctity of human lives in the country, and this is in line with Penpushing Media  tradition of making being a responsive corporate entity by making input into strategic government policies towards better governance.

Penpushing reports that, this was contained in a communiqué issued and endorsed by Chairman, Editorial  Board, Funke Fadugba at the end of discuss and deliberations on global future cities prosperity, curbing of incessant road accident and reported ban on commercial motorcyclists, known as Okada riders by the Lagos Government

‘On road accidents, Penpushing is of the view that a curious observation and research has shown that deaths in Nigeria due to road accidents is more than deaths due to terrorism and other related crimes that had imperiled our nation. This is underscoring the urgent need for government and all Nigerians to pay closer attention to prevention of road accidents in order to preserve the sanctity of human lives in the country’, the communiqué emphasised.

The communiqué also proposed data synchronization to arrest and bring punishment to bear on errant drivers beyond what we are doing at the moment, pointing out that In advanced countries, if you are caught with a road offence, your means of getting another job or livelihood may be affected, which is a great detriment.

‘We must also jettison some noxious policies such as the ones indulged in by banks where a driver’s license is demanded as an identity and precondition for bank transactions. This practice puts most people on the desperation mode to obtain driver’s licenses even if they have never sat in the driver’s seat of a vehicle’.

*Penpushing identified that incessant road accidents have diverse causal factors among them, non-road worthy vehicles due to grave poverty in the land, carelessness; poorly maintained roads coupled with bad road culture by drivers and poor enforcement by the relevant institutions.

* Most grave of the causal factors of road accidents is the lax of such institutions such as the Police, the road safety and the Vehicle Inspection Officers to allow would-be drivers undergo required road and driving test before hitting the roads to drive.

*These unbaked drivers eventually constitute a menace not only to themselves but also to other road users.  Also,  the corruptive tendencies of the police and other enforcement agencies in treating road offenders has often led to the unbridled carelessness of drivers in adhering to road safety culture, by so doing endangering themselves and other road users.

*.Penpushing is suggesting that since human beings are supposed to be the most precious asset of any nation, there must be deliberate attempts by all institutions of government and the people to get more concerned about every road accident that occur on our roads,  rather than attaching the usual emotional sentiments to it when it does occur. There is need for a robust talk shop addressed initiated by the government to bring experts and operators to dilate on how we want to keep our roads safe, starting with Ogun State.

“Penpushing wishes to call on the present government to think out more progressive ideas for engaging the younger population, especially towards artisanship as against Okada trade considering the disincentive that such trade has posed to the dwindling attraction of the youths to entrepreneurship.