Abuja — It has been established in Nigeria that the so-called ember months comprising September, October, November and December are the most accident prone months of the year, each year. Statistics and records prove this. And even our collective memory supports this hypothesis.

The ember months are when citizens suddenly realise that the year that had been waddling along without haste was about to end. The implication is both dramatic and galvanising. Procrastinators would suddenly realise that they had not made enough money or saved enough to justify the last end-of-year resolutions they had made to themselves, their relations or colleagues to end the new year on a memorable note.

Those without any plans and who the ending year will catch napping during the customary year-end festivities would be frantic and desperate to make up for their economic and financial tardiness all along. Those in debt and their creditors would be in a hurry to reconcile their financial obligations. In short, the ember months simply put most citizens in over-drive, so much so that many lose all sense of proportion and balance. In Nigeria, the ember months assume some metaphysical qualities that goad millions into all sorts of short-sighted acts.

Many steal, cheat, defraud, kill or maim so that at the end of the day, come Christmas and New Year celebrations, they can appear to their kinsmen, friends, coveted love objects and so on as being more successful that they had in reality been in the preceding year.
It is all these anti-social behaviours that manifest themselves during the ember months that we call on the relevant authorities to put in place strategies to contain so that this year's ember months would be less-carnage strewn than was the case in previous years.

Accordingly, we urge the law enforcement agencies to prime their relevant commands to be on the look out for the deviants that will snatch other people's vehicles, bags, wallets or burgle homes for loot to make their mythical end-of-year celebrations vainglorious at others expense.
The traffic management authorities should also be up and doing with enlightenment campaigns, more than they have done in the past. This time, they should be on the look out for ignorant or devious folks who would put rickety, non-road worthy vehicles on the highways in their bids to cash in on the Christmas and New Year rush of Nigerians to get to their villages in time for the festivities. The vehicle inspection officers (VIOs) should be prepared to do this and more, to ensure the safety of commuters.

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) must also be ready to impound vehicles, both private and commercial, that put the lives of occupants in jeopardy.
Because of some citizens unreasonable desire to make ends meet during the ember months, the Police should increase their surveillance activities and stop and search operations to discourage the criminals that would be out to frustrate fellow citizens to satisfy their inordinate ambitions.
Also, government should make efforts to spruce up the roads and renew road signs that guide motorists. With the yearly unprecedented rush to get to the nooks and cranny of Nigeria, clearly delineated road signs would be very helpful in preventing accidents.
Moreover, a systemic and targeted awareness campaign should be mounted now to sensitize travellers, motorists and transport operators of the dangers that lurk on the highways at such peak periods. Those who drink must be encouraged to refrain from driving; while those who drive should be encouraged not to drink so that they don't risk their lives and those of other road users in their euphoria to arrive at their destinations in record times.

Because the ember months fall within the dry season, there is also the ever present danger of fire outbreaks and the fire services must be ready to spring into action to arrest any fires, whether domestic, industrial, bush fires or fire crackers induced.
Everything must be done by government to also ensure that premium motor spirit (PMS) or petrol is available nationwide at the regular price, to discourage travellers carrying gallons of it in their vehicles, or storing same at home, which have also lead to fire outbreaks.
It may appear too early in the day to be warning of the dangers associated with the ember months, especially the yuletide, as we are doing. But then it is universally accepted that a stitch in time, saves nine.