Yuletide: Motorcycle Association Wants FG To Enforce Use Of Safety Wears

The Riders and Owners of Motorcycle Association (ROMAN) has urged the Federal Government to enforce regulations that will ensure mandatory use of Personal Protective Equipment by commercial motorcycle riders across the country during the festive period.

The National President, ROMAN, Alhaji Solebo Sotayo, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Sotayo said the aim was to reduce unnecessary death occurrences during the period.

He said his leadership was doing everything possible to safeguard lives of its members and to also ”discourage the ‘agent of death’ hash tag on commercial motorcycle riders across the country.

Sotayo said the Federal Government should as a matter of urgency make suitable regulations through relevant agencies to ensure safety of operators and Nigerians.

“What we are trying to discourage, is this ‘agent of death’ hash tag on all riders across the country, bearing in mind that this business is a true epitome of economic driver.

“We are trying to ensure that even during and after Yuletide, our members and their passengers stay alive to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

“I will like to tell you that everyone loves to celebrate life including the riders which people term as ‘ agents of death’.

“We all know that this is a real small scale business opportunity that cut across both the educated and non educated alike.

“What the Federal Government has left undone is to create enabling environment, make laws and executive compliance.

“We all travel to other countries of the world such as India, China, Pakistan and we also witness how commercial tricycle and motorcycle operate with PPEs which was adopted by their government as a regulation.

“When the government adopt the wearing of crash helmet and other protectives and strictly implement it, it will reduce accidents accustomed with motorcycle crashes,” he said.

While admonishing his teeming members on ember months safety massage, he appealed to them to be of good comradeship through out the season.

Sotayo expressed hope that ROMAN would soon be seen as an association with good regulations and better welfare for its members.

He reiterated the association’s commitment to carryout sensitisation programmes across the nation that would restore people’s confidence in the cycling business that had lifted many out of poverty.

“We are negotiating with the Federal Road Safety Commission and Vehicle Inspection Officer on getting number plates for our members and to ensure they stop disobeying road rules, avoid road crashes and sudden deaths.

“We are doing this mainly to help millions of Nigerians get out of poverty because many families have waited for white collar jobs endlessly.

“Commercial motorcycling have contributed and is still contributing in youths employment opportunities and it will also interest you to know that we have set up national task force in each of the states we operate to ensure safety compliance,” Sotayo said.

(NAN)