Fashola warns against drugs and drunk driving

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has warned commercial drivers against taking alcohol and narcotic drugs before driving.

He said statistics showed that many road accidents were caused by substance abuse by drivers.

Fashola spoke yesterday at the New Garage Motor Park in Bariga during the Motor Park Health and Safety Awareness Campaign organised by the ministries of Health and Transportation as well as Guinness Nigeria Plc.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said: “The aim of the initiative is to reduce road accidents and ensure the safety of road users. It is also aimed at increasing awareness about mental health and what can be done to prevent, as well as cure it. It is part of the composite health care plan for the sustainability of our people and to improve the life expectancy rate.”

He said since the campaign began in 2011, over 2,500 commercial drivers have been screened for blood alcohol content, substance abuse, hypertension and diabetes.

Fashola said: “The campaign has been taken to Ojota, Iyana-Ipaja and Oyingbo motor parks and the screening team include doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, pharmacists and pharmaceutical technicians, officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) and Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) and administrative workers.”

He said of the 884 drivers screened at the Ojota Motor Park, 239 were hypertensive and 86 diabetic.
Fashola said 60 tested positive to substance abuse and 287 had excessive blood alcohol level.

He said: “Of the 988 drivers screened at the Oyingbo Motor Park, 363 were hypertensive; 156 diabetic, 59 tested positive to cocaine/marijuana, and 494 tested positive to the breathalyzer. Of the 1,025 drivers screened at the Iyana-Ipaja Motor Park, 162 were hypertensive, 71 diabetic, 103 tested positive to cocaine/marijuana and 215 had excessive alcohol in their blood.

“Let us resolve today that we will stop taking a gamble with our lives. Every time you drink Alomo and Paraga and get behind the wheel with drugs in your system, it is like putting a loaded gun to one’s head and wondering if it can kill or not. It is a huge risk to take and we should stop it.”

Commissioner for Health Jide Idris said many lives could be saved by preventing avoidable accidents.
Commissioner for Transport Kayode Opeifa urged drivers to dislodge drug and alcohol hawkers from motor parks.

He said the Drivers’ Institutes in Epe, Ikorodu, Oshodi, Ikeja and Lagos Island were built to train motorists, both private and public, on safe driving techniques.

Opeifa said from October 1, any commercial driver that is not certified by the institute would not be allowed to operate in the state.

The Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu, who was represented by the Head of Sustainability and Responsibility Unit, decried irresponsible consumption of alcohol by commercial drivers.

He said: “The major objective of this programme is to raise awareness on the dangers of irresponsible alcohol consumption and to induce a change in the attitude of commercial motorists to drink driving.”

The Nation