‘Lack of road signs cause of accidents’

By Mulikatu Mukaila The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (Works and Housing Sector), Alhaji Mohammed Bukar, has attributed most accidents on Nigerian roads to lack of proper use, abuse and inadequacy of traffic signs. Alhaji Bukar stated this at the meeting of the Permanent Secretaries of Works (federal and states) across […]

By Mulikatu Mukaila

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (Works and Housing Sector), Alhaji Mohammed Bukar, has attributed most accidents on Nigerian roads to lack of proper use, abuse and inadequacy of traffic signs.

Alhaji Bukar stated this at the meeting of the Permanent Secretaries of Works (federal and states) across the country held in Abuja.

He said information obtained from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) indicated that defacing, damaging and removing of road signs across the country was alarming, and that there was urgent need for relevant authorities to enact laws that would checkmate this ugly trend.  

Alhaji Bukar said the Meeting of the Permanent Secretaries of Works was preceded by the Technical Meeting of Directors of Works (both federal and states) which essentially addressed matters on road signage aimed at ensuring safety and comfort on Nigerian roads.

He implored the council to come up with decisions that would ensure provision and compliance with the use of standardised road signs.

“There is need for synergy amongst the three tiers of government: federal, state and local governments, to ensure effective implementation of the council’s decisions,” he said.

The permanent secretary also stated that the council should be mindful of quality assurance in the production and installation of road signs, as well as developing a mechanism on how to manage vandalism and theft of this critical road infrastructure.

Alhaji Bukar urged the council to be conscious of the peculiar socio-economic challenges of the nation in coming up with decisions on how best to install quality road signs on Nigerian highways and to ensure strict compliance with their usage.