Determined to ensure safety of passengers on the roads and reduce road crashes by the truck operators in Nigeria, the Federal Government has kicked off a three-days Show of Force Joint Inter-agencies Advocacy and Sensitisation Programme.

The Programme was carried out by the Joint National Transport Safety Committee of Nigeria inconjuction with Federal Road Safety Corps tagged Zero Tolerance on trucks accident in Nigeria trucks safe to load and minimum safety standard compliance in Lagos.

The Programme which kicked off in Berger, Apapa, Ijora olopa areas had personnels of Road Ssafety Corps, Civil Defence Corps, Fire Service, and others.

According to the National Chairman of Joint National Transport Safety Committee, Taiwo Mogbojuri, the exercise will reduce the road crashes by the truck operators in Nigeria.

Mogbojuri said the sensitisation is for all articulated and nonarticulated truck drivers, operators and fleet owners in Lagos State in Nigeria on truck minimum standard safety which was approved by the Presidency, Office of National Security Advisor and Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

He said they would encourage car, truck owners and drivers to equip their vehicles, educate individuals about the essential components that contribute and promote safe driving practices and responsible ownership by emphasising the importance of preventive measures.

According to him, the sensitisation is a significant milestone for which represents their unwavering dedication to promoting road safety and reducing the occurrence of preventable accidents.

In his words, the group is confident that by making the sensitisation accessible to all vehicle, trucks owners, both private, state, and federal government, they can make a substantial impact on protecting lives and enhancing the overall safety culture within our country.

He said the committee appreciates the partnership with the principal partner, who have the statutory authority for road transport management, the Federal Road Safety Corps.

The Committee Chairman said they believe the collaboration is going to earn them more of the solution to mitigate the issue of truck crashes in Lagos and Nigeria as a whole, saying the collaboration is what they believe can make this thing happen. It is a collaborative effort and we believe one day, someday and very soon, all this menace will be reduced to zero.

On his part, FRSC Lagos Sector Commander, Corps Commander, Patrick Davou said the whole aim is to ensure safety protocols on the roads are strictly adhered to so as to reduce road traffic crashes.

Davou revealed that countless lives could be saved if truck drivers abide by simple road etiquette, saying with the sensitisation stakeholders in the transportation sector would ensure that road traffic crashes are reduced to the barest minimum.

He said the sensitisation was to engage the leadership of the truck drivers’ union on how to drive on the highway, imbibe safety culture.

According to him, they are using the sensitisation before the public enlightenment and enforcement to curb the menace of road crashes.