By CrossRiverWatch Admin
No fewer than 49 persons have lost their lives from road accidents in Cross River between January 2016 to date, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said.
Mr Ikechukwu Igwe, Sector Commander of FRSC in Cross River, disclosed this in Calabar at the end of the 2016 remembrance week for road crashes victims around the world.
Igwe said that 392 vehicles were involved in road crashes during the period under review in the state, adding that 49 persons lost their live due to the crashes.
According to him, the 2016 figure was far less as compared to that of 2015 whereby 113 persons died from road crashes in the state.
The Sector Commander attributed the reduction in the number of deaths to the aggressive campaigns and sensitization programs carried out by the command for motorists in the state.
“The third week of November every year is set aside to commemorate with victims of road crashes around the world. This third week of November was declared by the United Nations General Assembly on December 6, 2005.
“In Cross River, 49 persons have so far lost their lives from road crashes between January till date. The figure is far less as compared to that of 2015 whereby 113 persons died from road crashes.
“We will continue to carry out our sensitization and awareness campaigns with a view to ensure zero crashes during the Christmas and New Year celebration in the state’’, he assured.
He further said that the command also had a candle light procession on Saturday night to commemorate with accident victims around the world.
He advised commercial vehicle operators to always check the viability of their cars before embarking on long journeys.
Earlier, Mrs. Princess Igwe, wife of the state Sector Commander, led the wives of FRSC officers in the state in a solidarity visit to accident victims in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and the state General Hospital.
Igwe, who is the Leader of Road Safety Officers Wives Association (ROSOWA) in the state, donated food items and toiletries to the victims and prayed for them for a quick recovery.
She used the occasion of the visit to thank the National President of ROSOWA, Mrs. Yemisi Oyeyemi for building an ultra modern clinic in Nasarawa state for improved healthcare.