ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has appealed to the Federal Government to establish an outfit to secure waterways in riverine areas to reduce criminality and accidents.
He made the call when the Bayelsa State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Usman Ibrahim, paid him a visit in Government House, Yenagoa.
He stated that due to the riverine terrain of the state, there was a need to establish an outfit like the FRSC and give equal treatment to the waterways.
The governor expressed delight that road accidents had drastically reduced in the state, and urged the command to do more to reduce it to the barest minimum.
Diri, who lamented the dearth of federal highways in the state, challenged men of the command to provide more signages at strategic positions and also educate road users on their meaning.
He said: “Due to the dearth of highways and the special terrain of Bayelsa State, the waterways also ought to have equal treatment with the highways. I am sure that would bring to rest the issue of kidnapping and other criminal activities. May I use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government that we need equal treatment in our waterways.
“We are happy that crashes and other forms of accidents are not very common in Bayelsa. But that may be due to what I would describe as non-existent federal highways unlike other states.”
He thanked the FRSC for expressing its readiness to extend their operations to the road leading to the Bayelsa International Airport and said the state would synergise with the command to ensure accident-free roads.
In his remarks, Commander Usman Ibrahim revealed that there had been no fatal road accident in the state since May 2021, attributing it to the good roads existing in the state.
According to him, with commencement of flight operations at the Bayelsa International Airport, the command would extend its operations to the road and ensure the safety of its users.
He said a road safety advisory council had been established at the national level and appealed to the state government to replicate it.
He also requested for land to enable the command to build a permanent structure in the state.
In another development, Governor Diri has decorated the Commander of the state’s special security outfit, Operation Doo-Akpo, Ibrahim Bakori, with his new rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Bakori became the Commander of Operation Doo Akpo on June 2, 2020.
He was one time Escort Commander under former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Aide-de-camp (ADC) to a former Speaker of House of Representatives.
He is a fellow of the Institute of Professional Managers and Administrators (FIPMA) and member, Nigerian Institute of Management as well as member, National Institute of Police Studies.