Review Of Traffic Laws Underway In Edo

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, southsouth Nigeria, has announced a proposed review of existing traffic laws in the state with a view to imposing stiffer penalties on reckless driving.

The proposed review of the traffic laws comes on the heel of the ghastly auto accident involving the governor’s convoy which claimed the lives of three journalists last Saturday at Warrake/Auchi Road, Etsako West local government area of Edo State.

Comrade Oshiomhole made this disclosure in Benin City when members of the State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Uyi Igbe visited the Governor at the Government House to condole with him over the accident.

Oshiomhole said: “We will take steps to ensure that drivers drive responsibly. On our part as a government, we will make more conscious effort to ensure that our roads are safe. We will look at our laws to impose severe punishment on reckless and dangerous driving.

“The recent incident hurts me very badly. It hurts more when you see children who will no longer feel the warmth of their fathers. It hurts to see women who will no longer have the comfort of their husbands. We can only pray that God should provide for their families.

“We also have to stand by them. I thought we should make cash donation and funds available for their education. The best way to guarantee the money is to immediately pay it into a fixed deposit account to be managed by the bank. We cannot fill the void of the death of their fathers. Anything we can do, we should do,” he added.

In his response, Igbe said they came to commiserate with the governor on the death of the three journalists.

“We share in your pain. God will give you the fortitude to bear the loss and God will console the families of the bereaved,” Igbe said.

Meanwhile, President of Dangote Conglomerate, Alhaji Aliko Dangote yesterday described Governor Oshiomhole as a great asset, not only to Edo state but also to Nigeria.

Dangote, who stated this yesterday during a condolence visit to the governor on the death of three journalists in his convoy in Benin City said, “God is above everybody.”

He congratulated Governor Oshiomhole for surviving the accident, adding, “we are always there to assist you and pray for his life for you,” adding that “the grace of the Almighty God will continue to protect you for the very good work you are doing here. If you do something good here, it will affect the neighboring states and the whole of Nigeria. You are a great asset to Nigeria and we pray that God will never allow it to happen again and may God give eternal repose to those who died in the accident.”

—Jethro Ibileke, Benin