Increasing Rate Of Road Accidents

INCREASING RATE OF ROAD ACCIDENTS

Brethren, doing what you like is freedom, whilst liking what you do is simply happiness. In other words, it is only total freedom that can make one to do whatever he/she likes; so if someone does whatever he wishes to do, it implies that he’s completely free.

Freedom is indeed an essential recipe deserves by everyone or, required by the human race in its entirety. But the rate at which it is being abused by most of us remains an alarming anomaly that requires an urgent and severe attention.

I’ve come to realize as well arrived at a conclusion that, freedom no doubts, intoxicates thereby constituting series of cacophonies among mankind. Yes most people often go crazy because they have all the rights to indulge in whatever that pleases them. These incessant anomalies produced due to freedom, invariably lead to aberration.

Today, our paramount concern is on the increasing rate of accidents on our roads. If you are a resident of Nigeria, you would bear me witness that the rate at which accident occurs on our major roads has become quite alarming in recent times. Of course it is longer news that every nook and cranny of the nation has lately been littered by fathomless road accident by the automobiles.

Considering the basic causes of the aforementioned plight, several concerned citizens have been tempted to presume that the acclaimed giant of Africa has no road safety personnel. Perhaps, it is not true that the nation has no personnel that oversee the management of our roads to ensure safety, because surely, they are found all over the country. If the assertion or insinuation of the people is not a fact, then the subsequent question would be: what actually causes these perilous occurrences on our major roads?

Apart from hundreds of thousands of them that took place several months ago, within these ongoing Ember months, there have been incidences of innumerable accidents recorded on various high ways across the country to include, Lagos-Ibadan express way, Owerri-Onitsha road, Benin-Ore road, Port/Harcourt-Aba road, Ekiti-Osun road, among so many others. The most devastating aspect of it is that, it takes place virtually on a daily basis simultaneously on the roads in question.

Frankly, something drastic needs to be done in earnest, so that, we won’t wake up one morning to see every part of the Nigeria’s society in shambles as a result of Road accident. Let’s ride on!

First and foremost, the governments must ensure that all the roads are put in appropriate and desirable shapes without any iota of delay. Due to bad road network, sometimes the commuters prefer to operate on ‘One-way’ which severally leads to collisions.

Secondly, the federal government as well as every state government ought to ensure that a special lane is constructed for the trucks or Lorries. Creating a well designed road for the big vehicles would automatically create an avenue for serenity on the already existing roads or high ways meant for the smaller ones.

Thirdly, a law should be passed by our legislators, stating that, before anyone would be issued a Driver’s License, he/she must had passed through a driving school instituted by the Nigerian Road Safety Corps or an institution duly approved or recognized by the said corps.  By so doing, only real drivers would be seen handling the steering, which would go a long way to curtail or restrict reckless driving often indulged-in, by the so called drivers.

Lastly but not the least, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) should put up a holistic crusade that would ensure that no bad vehicle is found on any of the roads. Most times you would see vehicles that are meant to be thrown to the waste bin operating freely on the road thereby endangering people’s safety.

The above mentioned aberration is solely caused by the motorists or the car owners. Sometimes you would see a ‘driver’ who never cares to open his car bonnet before making use of it. The uncalled freedom assigned to drivers has made them to lousily forget that the fitness or readiness of any vehicle must be properly checked and crosschecked by its driver before it’s being used for the day.

Above all, mobile courts ought to be instituted by the apt authority in order to try any purported driver who goes contrary to the traffic modus operandi or the laws biding the drivers; and, a capital punishment must be allocated to anyone found guilty. To actualize the aim of this proposed measure, the officers of the Road Safety Corps or any personnel involved must endeavour to exonerate themselves from bribery or any form of extortion.

For crying out loud, it’s high time we stopped these bloody occurrences on our precious roads. And this can only be actualized if the governments successfully implement the above recommendations as well as withdraw the inconsequential freedom presently exercised by the motorists. Think about it!

 

FDN NWAOZOR

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Why Blatter Must Be Called To Order

WHY BLATTER MUST BE CALLED TO ORDER

Greetings brethren! Of course it is often said as well as widely believed in all nooks and crannies that, sports generally is the only language or group of languages that unites the world in its entirety. If such theory or philosophy holds water, then it implies that football which is the most popular sport ought to be regarded as the most potent and crucial language found across the globe.

Since football remains the most potent language recognized by the entire members of the universe due to its role in uniting people, then it should be guarded jealously by any concerned fellow, so that, it would continue to maintain its dignity or integrity.

Few weeks ago, Tuesday September 9, 2014 precisely, I was glancing at the headlines of the Punch Newspaper and incidentally I encountered a sports headline that gave me a shock. The headline in question reads, “Blatter seeks fifth term.” I was really bemused by the news.

You would recall that Blatter was re-elected as the President of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) for the fourth term on 1^st June, 2011. Mr Sepp Joseph Blatter, born on 10^th of March 1936, is a Swiss football administrator who currently serves as the eight FIFA boss. He was first elected on 8^th June 1998, succeeding Joan Havelange whom was the seventh FIFA President. He was re-elected as President in 2002, 2007 and 2011 respectively.

Sepp Blatter was born in Visp-Canton Valais, Switzerland. He studied in Saint-Maurice Switzerland before he bagged a bachelor degree in Business and Economics from the University of Lausanne in 1959. He has had a long and varied career in his native country – Switzerland including posts such as Head of Public Relations of the Valaisan Tourist Board and General Secretary of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (SIHF). He was the Director of Sports Timing and Relations of Longines S.A., and was involved in the organization of the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games.

Since 1975, Sepp Blatter whom has been married three times and presently has one daughter has been working at FIFA. First, he served as Technical Director from 1975 to 1981, then General Secretary from 1981 to 1998; before his emergence (election) as FIFA President in 1998. Subsequently in 2002, he assumed duty for same position for a second term.  He was reelected unopposed for another four years on 31^st May 2007 even though only 66 of 207 FIFA members nominated him. Let’s ride on!

                  

Blatter’s 1998 election to the FIFA Presidency over UEFA President Lennart Johansson occurred amid much controversy. Also, his 2002 candidacy has been marked with rumours of financial irregularities and backroom dealings culminating to direct accusations of bribery.

In 2011, elections were scheduled for the FIFA presidency in which Blatter was again the incumbent candidate running for a fourth consecutive term. The election took place at the 61^st FIFA congress in Zurich, Switzerland. The only other candidate – Mohammed Bin Hamman of Qatar withdrew from the presidential race on May 28 just before the election, after the earlier withdrawal of Elias Figueroa of Chile. Since there were no other nominations, Blatter ran unopposed in the 2011 FIFA elections. On June 1, he was reelected President for a fourth term with 186 of the 203 votes in his favour.

Blatter had stipulated that, if re-elected in 2011, he would never run again for FIFA President; a vow that was cheerfully received and noted by all and sundry in the FIFA confraternity. But it seems that vow has become irrelevant considering the present look of things.

The prospect of Sepp Blatter continuing as FIFA President in his early eighties (80s) was confirmed in September 2014 when he publicly disclosed that he was aspiring for a fifth term in office come 2015 FIFA general elections. Blatter who would be 79 next year (2015) by the special grace of God and whom was first elected sixteen (16) years ago as FIFA President, made his candidature for another term known in a recorded interview transmitted to delegates at the Soccerex Global Convention.

Brethren, the bone of contention is that, someone who truly loves the present FIFA boss – Mr Sepp Joseph Blatter, ought to call him to order in earnest. Frankly, it’s high time we started thinking rightly; else, we might be subjected to an unforeseen doomed state. How could someone who had spent sixteen good years in a certain position, still be nurturing interest for more four (4) years in the said position? Does it imply that there’s no other competent or legible person that can succeed him? I need an answer, please; because the scenario is really telling on my person.

If Sepp Blatter was an African man, I would have been hearing series of rumours from all facets of the globe. Yes if he was an African, by now, people would have been saying that his intention to vie for the post for the fifth time is not unconnected to a typical Africa mentality or tradition. But for the fact that he hails from Europe, Switzerland to be precise, I’ve been longing to hear any of such silly utterances that usually come from the racists among the western race.

The truth of the matter is that, Blatter must be called to order before something unthinkable happens to our beloved football. For crying out loud, the old man should go and rest; he has worked tirelessly, therefore ought to go for a rest. We cannot pay for his selfishness; rather let him alone cater for it. The time to act is now. Think about it!

 

FDN NWAOZOR

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2014 World Food Day (Aired Viewpoint)

A CLARION CALL TO UPLIFT THE NIGERIA’S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR AS THE WORLD MARKS THE WORLD FOOD DAY TODAY THURSDAY OCTOBER 16, 2014

No one has ever boasted of living a healthy life without an adequate food on his or her table. This implies that a healthy living is not unconnected to consumption of required and adequate food.

Food which remains one of the three basic needs of man on earth can only be acquired by continual indulgence or thorough participation in agricultural practices.

Agriculture is simply the act of farming. In a nutshell, farming is the activity of growing crops and/or raising animals on a certain piece of land in a given area or locality.

No doubt, agriculture is an integral part of human existence considering the fact that it is the only means that can guarantee the three paramount needs of man, which are food, clothing and shelter. Of course without agriculture, no one can boast of a clothe or even a shelter. In view of this, agriculture has indeed proven to mankind that it is the epitome of life which was initiated by God himself.

Several countries in the world depend solely on agriculture as regards their internally generated revenue. And those countries jealously safeguard it because they acknowledge that it is the most affordable source of revenue.

Unequivocally, if well harnessed, agriculture is considered as the most important revenue source due to its unending fruitfulness or benefits coupled with easy accessibility that is attached to it. Among all, the fact that no one can live without food is enough reason to say that the positive impact of agriculture on mankind cannot be overemphasized.

The above facts have proven to us that agriculture can function as a revenue source as well as a means of survival to any nation. Suffice to say; sustenance of agriculture remains one of the prime desires of any country in existence.

Due to its challenges, which include access to mechanize farming, undesirable topography, poor climatic condition, unavailability of land, insufficient funds, et cetera, many potential farmers or interested individuals in most developing nations like Nigeria, have over the years lost interest in agriculture thereby endangering the socio-economic status of the nations involved. It is no longer news that lack of participation in either subsistence or commercial farming among the populace of a certain country leads to malnutrition as well as tremendous decline in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country in question.

The most devastating aspect of loss of interest in agriculture is the apathy observed amongst the youth due to their eager quest for white-collar jobs. Frankly, the current lack of participation of most youths in agriculture has contributed immensely to the ongoing scarcity of food witnessed in several nations in Africa and other developing nations across the globe.

History indicates that between 2011 and 2013, a total of eight hundred and forty-two (842) million individuals or about one in every eight persons in the world, were estimated to be suffering from chronic hunger; which simply implies that the said set of people were not regularly getting enough food for themselves to carry out their active life activities.

Due to the unavoidable impact of food on mankind, the World Food Day (WFD) was established during the 20^th General Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) in November 1945. During the conference, all the Member States of FAO resolved that October 16 each year should be commemorated as World Food Day; the Day was meant to coincide with the anniversary of the founding date of the organization (FAO).

The Hungarian delegation led by the former Hungarian Minister of Agriculture and Food, Dr Pal Romany played an active role at the said conference; he suggested the idea of celebrating the World Food Day worldwide. The first commemoration of the World Food Day took place in the year 1946; and since then, the Day is being observed annually in more than one hundred and fifty (150) countries, raising awareness of the issues behind poverty and hunger.

As the world over marks the World Food Day today, I’m using this medium to urge the Nigerian government to wake up from its slumber with the view of ensuring that the country’s agricultural sector is totally and thoroughly uplifted. This can be made possible by providing adequate support for any genuine potential farmer in the country.

I’m therefore soliciting that, the federal government alongside the various state governments through a formidable and reliable Agency, should intercede on behalf of the Nigerian farmers to ensure that the commercial banks are always willing to allocate either soft or hard loan to any potential indigenous farmer. Also, adequate farm land must be provided by any concerned government.

On their part, the farmers in question ought to continually validate membership of all their members and also encourage the intending ones to register, so that through the body, the government or any individual can easily assess all the practicing farmers as well as ascertain the genuineness of anyone who claims to be a farmer.

Above all, the various governments must endeavour to own and manage many mechanized farms in different localities with the motive of supplementing the private owned ones, which would go a long way to see that plenty food is found on our tables thereby creating avenue for diverse revenue sources and more employment opportunities.

 

            

FDN NWAOZOR

Public Affairs Analyst & Rights Activist

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