The Beer Sectoral Group (BSG) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has launched its “2022 Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign to create awareness about dangers of drunk driving.
The Chairman of BSG and Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr Baker Magunda, during the launch of the campaign on Wednesday in Lagos, said that the initiative was targeted mainly for commercial drivers who convey lots of passengers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the campaign is an initiative of the BSG in partnership with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Magunda said that the ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ campaign would be delivered through public enlightenment rallies at key motor parks in Nigeria.
He said that the BSG team would engage with drivers, transport workers and passengers to enlighten then on the danger of drink-driving and the personal responsibility role of avoiding such risks.
“At these park rallies, BSG facilitates random breathalyzer tests with the FRSC, to demonstrate the workings by the equipment and the accuracy of their results.
“Globally, breathalyzers are reliable, quick and accurate tools predominantly used by law enforcement officials to measure blood alcohol content.
“To further complement the enforcement efforts of FRSC, BSG provides strategic support through the donation of breathalyzers which would enhance their capacity to kick against drink-driving in Nigeria.
“We member companies of BSG would continue to deploy available resources to support FRSC in line with our MoU,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Dauda Biu, the Acting Corps Marshal, FRSC, noted that alcohol-related road traffic crashes topped the burning factors contributing to untimely death globally.
Biu, who was represented by the Deputy Corps Marshal of FRSC, Mr Victor Nwokolo, said that the ‘Ember Months’ being a period of festivities, people were likely to get drunk including drivers on daily basis due to a lot of celebrations.
He said: “Nigerians must be aware that frequent cases of road crashes during this period, particularly the ember months are not connected to any demonic activities but the actions and inactions of road users.
He said the campaign therefore, was a timely reminder that drinking and driving does not only pose a threat to the live of the drunk driver, but also to the lives and properties of all road users (motorists, pedestrians, and even animals).
Biu said that against this backdrop, it was apt to sum up that a drunk driver was more likely to drive dangerously or commit road traffic violation.
He noted that for that particular reason the corps set up “Operation Cobra” to tackle such grievous and bad driving behaviour.
“The corps is optimistic that the Cobra Unit will not lose its venom, hence we believe that with the operation in place, crash related to drunk driving will be reduced drastically during this ember months, when compared to the previous year.
“We are delighted that the BSG team has always identified with the vorps during such campaigns.
“In this spirit, the FRSC and BSG have since come to accept each other as partners in the business of saving lives through attitudinal change, as it relates to driving under the influence of alcohol,” Biu said.
He said that it was worrisome that most of those who engaged in drunk driving with bulk of the casualties were youths who form the economic productive bracket of the country.
