ivil society organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have urged African governments to take decisive and coordinated action to reduce road traffic deaths
By Ibironke Ariyo
Civil society organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have urged African governments to take decisive and coordinated action to reduce road traffic deaths across the continent.
The call was made during the inaugural General Assembly of the African Association of Road Safety Lead Agencies (AARSLA) held in Lusaka, Zambia, where Nigeria was elected as Secretary and host of the AARSLA Secretariat.
A statement on Friday in Abuja by the representative of Nigerian CSOs and NGOs, Dr Yusuf Suberu, described the position as one that confers a strategic leadership role on Nigeria in advancing road safety reforms across Africa.
Suberu said that the assembly brought together leading road safety authorities, government ministries, transport agencies and international development partners.
He said that the aim was to unify efforts to reduce road traffic fatalities and promote regional safety standards, public education, policy coordination, and infrastructure improvement.
Suberu, founder of the Dr Yusuf John Suberu Foundation said that the alarming rate of road crashes and fatalities across the continent demands more than policy statements.
According to him, it requires urgent, inclusive and sustained action.
“This is not the time for rhetoric. Road safety must be approached as a humanitarian, developmental, and public health emergency. Governments must partner with civil society and act now to save lives.”
Suberu stressed that CSOs and NGOs, with their close ties to grassroots communities, were essential in implementing behavioural change campaigns, post-crash support services, youth education and local enforcement collaboration.
He said that his foundation had over the years led numerous safety awareness drives, training for traffic personnel and humanitarian interventions for crash victims and vulnerable families.
This he said were especially in Nigeria’s underserved communities.
He, however, noted that Nigeria’s emergence as AARSLA Secretariat host was a collective responsibility that must be matched with measurable action and inclusive engagement across all sectors.
“Being elected as Secretariat is a continental mandate. It calls for results which are reduced fatalities, safer roads, informed drivers and protected pedestrians.
“We urge African leaders to bring CSOs and NGOs to the table as equal partners..
“With Nigeria now at the helm, CSOs and NGOs say the focus must shift immediately to implementation and local impact.
“We are ready to work, ready to lead from the ground up. Now is the time for governments to open the doors, fund solutions that work and unite with civil society to stop this preventable loss of lives.”
Suberu praised the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Malam Shehu Mohammed for his unwavering leadership in modernising road safety in Nigeria, ensuring that civil society voices were represented at the policymaking table.
Speaking, FRSC Corps Marshal, who led Nigeria’s delegation to the Assembly, reaffirmed the country’s readiness to lead with distinction.
Mohammed noted that Nigeria’s rich experience in regulating road use, vehicle inspection, crash response and civic education gives it a unique advantage.
He also cited the FRSC success in deploying crash data systems, vehicle inspection protocols and faith-based safety campaigns.
He commended the collaborative role of civil society in advancing Nigeria’s road safety gains and pledged to continue fostering such partnerships at the continental level.
“In recent years, FRSC has gained continental acclaim for deploying digital crash data systems, expanding the reach of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs).
“FRSC is also advancing safety infrastructure for non-motorised road users, and collaborating with religious institutions and civil groups like Dr Suberu’s Foundation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that AARSLA, the new continental body, is tasked with harmonising road safety policies, strengthening crash analytics, improving public education, and building national capacity for safety enforcement across Africa.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)