Leadership (Abuja)
4 January 2009
The proposed January 1, deadline for the use of crash- helmets by commercial motorcyclists put in place by the Federal Road Safety Commission has not been totally complied with in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
Leadership Sunday investigations revealed that the motorcyclists seems to be ignorant of the whole idea of the usage of crash-helmets.
A commercial motorcyclist along Ahmadu Bello way who did not want his name in print told Leadreship Sunday that the idea of the crash-helment was good, but the way of implementation of the rule is one-sided.
"Imagine when you go to purchase a motorcycle that should come with full accessories including the crash-helmet, but the sellers will remove the helmet and other important things in the carton and give you only the motorcycle, and that will cost you additional money to buy again!" he said
"The FRSC has a good idea but such should start at the point of sale. If the sellers are made to do the right thing, then the riders will be seen doing the right thing. But when in a chain reaction, one part is excluded, then the other parts will also be missing and the idea of compliance will only be partial not total."
He condemned the idea of arresting and even extorting money from the motorcyclists by the FRSC.
He said with the present economic hardship, most of the riders were only doing the job for lack of a better paidjob, and as they remit to the owners of the motorcycles.
He called on government at all levels to come to the aid of those who are using Okada as a means of livelihood, by providing them with the helmets free.
He advised that the FRSC should not use the excuse of crash helmets to create another group of unemployed youths who become nuisance.
All efforts by Leadership Sunday to get the comment of the commander FRSC Kwara State command, proved abortive.
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