The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Sector Command, says inculcating safety culture in primary and secondary school students will ensure safe future.
The Sector Commander, Mr Patrick Davou, made the assertion at the 2024 Children’s Day celebration organised by the command on Monday in Lagos.
It had the theme: ”Safeguarding the Future of Our Nation”.
According to Davou, the FRSC does not play with children’s lives because they are future leaders.
“To ensure the safety of these children, the FRSC has designed a policy for tutoring our children in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions on the activities of the FRSC.
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“We term it: ‘Operation Catch Them Young’.
“Let them begin to know the driving and safety culture of the FRSC at this stage, so that they grow up with it.
“When they grow up with it, it means that the next generation will be having drivers and other road users who have received adequate training and will imbibe the culture of safety on the roads,” he said.
The sector commander said that FRSC desired road zero accidents and fatality, adding that it was determined to make Nigeria among the 20 safest countries in the world.
He said that FRSC had introduced other activities aimed at giving children sound knowledge of road safety.
He listed the activities to include road safety club in schools.
“As we celebrate you today, we celebrate your future, and I advise that you should adhere to directives and teachings from the school and our homes.
“Children should be very mindful of the peer groups they belong, because we can see that children well-behaved from home, as soon as they are out, their peers become a problem.
“You need to imbibe all the training given to you in schools and by your parents so that you can become responsible citizens of the country,” he said.
He advised parents to monitor their children and train them well.
Assistant Corps Marshal Jonathan Owoade, Zonal Commanding Officer, RS2, Headquarters, Lagos State, said that teaching children the right things would make them to be good ambassadors of the country in the future.
Owoade, represented by Corps Commander, Modupe Adefope, the Zonal Head of Operations, advised children against illicit drug use.
“Parents and teachers should be mindful of what they teach children.
“Parents should give them healthy foods and good education and, above all, teach them what is right,” he said.
Mr Olusegun Akintan, Lagos State Coordinator of Special Marshals, said that the messages on safety culture were timely.
“Safety is everyone’s business, and that is why we catch them young.
“They need to grow along with the tenets and the principles of safety,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 15 schools across Lagos State participated in the celebration which featured match past, induction of 26 children into road safety club, choreography by schools, and prize giving to oustanding schools.
Chiazo Ogbolu #NAN#
