Global Actions in Focus: Nigeria
Our landmark road safety event in Abuja on July 18-19 was a success that drew many enthusiastic participants from throughout Nigeria, as well as press coverage. “We achieved the goal of establishing a comprehensive vision through the two-day training course, and were pleased to see so many interested and engaged guests,” said Global Actions Nigeria Country Manager Dr. Lanre Onigbogi.
The training included discussions with Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) personnel about methods for reducing crashes, and a conclusion was reached regarding intervention locations. “Many commercial drivers in Nigeria drink very heavily, and pulling people aside can be unsafe for the traffic safety officers,” said ICAP’s Ken Williams, “The decision was made to focus on one access road, Lokoja and Abuja, that is incredibly dangerous. It is the only road that connects Nigeria’s north and south.”
In other workshop discussions, participants focused on commercial drivers at checkpoints and the general driving public. Participants also agreed that a focus on towing could be more constructive than imposing fines, as people are often unwilling to pay fines. In addition, the group brainstormed the idea of engaging owners/operators of the fleets, mostly passenger transport fleets, to increase the legal consequences of drink driving. A challenge will be enabling passengers to contact owners/operators or the FRSC about drink driving or road safety risky behavior. Stakeholders also discussed the need for a complaint process, and reaching out to radio stations along the stretch of highway that will be covered. Ideal would be a billboard at each of those two spots.
A summary of the event will be presented to the Corp Marshall of the FRSC to negotiate what contributions the FRSC can make to the initiative.
What’s Happening Next
· Several workshops are coming up in Da Nang, Vietnam, this month. A Drink Drive Public Awareness Campaigns Development Workshop will take place on July 21 and 22, and a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) testing workshop is scheduled for July 23.
· In Colombia, a PACTOS seminar is planned for the second week of August in Bogotá. We have proposed conducting a training module for PACTOS project managers in the cities of Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Neiva and Ibagué. We will be gathering PACTOS best practices from the past two years and sharing them in a booklet we will present to the mayors of the cities as they begin their terms in office at the end of this year.
