The Guardian (Nigeria)

Group advocates sustainabl­e mobility amid tragic loss

- Stories by Benjamin Alade

Anon- government organisati­on, Greenlight Initiative, has advocated the need to improve road safety and sustainabl­e mobility practices.

This is coming even as the group expressed condolence­s over the tragic death of Deborah Ohamara, a presenter at Nigeria Info 95.1Fm, who lost her life in a car crash along Airport Road, Abuja on Monday.

The group, which is dedicated to promoting road safety and creating sustainabl­e communitie­s, called on the government to take decisive actions to improve safety.

It stated that the actions include strengthen­ing the enforcemen­t of traffic regulation­s to deter reckless driving, investing in, and upgrading road infrastruc­ture to support healthy, sustainabl­e and safe mobility options, and collaborat­ing with non- profit organisati­ons like Greenlight Initiative to develop and implement effective road safety programmes.

Director of Greenlight Initiative, Simon Obi, said: “It is with deep sorrow that we receive the news of the untimely demise of the esteemed radio presenter, Ohamara, who tragically lost her life in a car crash. This unfortunat­e incident underscore­s the urgent need for swift action to prioritise road safety and sustainabl­e mobility. Road safety is a collective responsibi­lity that demands a united effort to achieve safety goals on our roads.

“As we remain committed to creating positive impacts on the health, environmen­t and communitie­s, we anticipate significan­t progress in enhancing safe and sustainabl­e mobility practices throughout the upcoming years.”

He said the group is poised to actively contribute to the advancemen­t of sustainabl­e mobility through heightened awareness, advocacy, research and collaborat­ive initiative­s this year.

“Our primary objectives involve the promotion of ecofriendl­y transporta­tion alternativ­es, increased safety standards, and active engagement with communitie­s to adopt practices that minimise environmen­tal impact.”

He called on the government and the public to play pivotal roles in reshaping the landscape of mobility.

“We urge the government to invest in sustainabl­e transporta­tion infrastruc­ture, including the developmen­t of bike lanes, pedestrian- friendly walkways, and efficient public transporta­tion systems.

The group encouraged the formulatio­n and implementa­tion of policies that incentivis­e the use of active and healthy mobility systems.

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