NAN-HG-11
Motorcyclists
By Mercy Osajiugo
Minna, Feb. 9, 2017 (NAN) Dr Hauwa Kolo, Head, Accident and Emergency Unit, General Hospital, Minna, Niger, has advised the state government to revisit its position on commercial motorcycle riders in the state.
Kolo gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Thursday.
She said that the advice became necessary in view of the alarming rate of accidents among commercial motorcyclists in Niger and the need to check the development.
“There is need for the authorities to check and caution commercial motorcycle riders.
‘’This is because at the rate they get injured; there will come a time when the hospitals will run out of space to accommodate them,’’ she said.
The state government, on August 8 2016, placed restriction on the movement of motorcycles in the state capital, Minna and some other towns based on insecurity.
Mr Jonathan Vatsa, the Commissioner of Information Culture and Tourism stated this in a statement in Minna, saying that the order was strictly enforced between 6 p.m and 6 a.m each day.
According to her, the accident and emergency ward receives about 100 casualties every week due to the reckless manner commercial motorcycle riders operate.
“Though we receive about a 100 cases of accident victims every week, though not all are severe cases.’’
‘’Some are minor injuries which can be taken care of at the scene of the accident while others are placed on medication and discharged.”
Kolo, however, said that majority of the cases came with fracture, dislocation and referred to the IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna which has orthopedic surgeon.
She also called on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to intensify sensitisation programme to help reduce accidents to the bare minimum.(NAN)
MNO/ECN/DUA
Edited by Emmanuel Nwoye/Dada Ahmed