Jethro Ibileke/Benin

The Edo State House of Assembly Monday adopted a resolution mandating relevant authorities to effect the compulsory use of pedestrian bridges constructed on two highways in the state.

The pedestrian bridges are located at the Benin/Lagos highway, at Ugbowo Campus Gate of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Benin/Abuja highway, in front of the Federal Polytechnic Auchi, in Etsako West local government area.

Hon. Eghe Osazewinde, (Ovia North-East Constituency I), who moved the motion under matter of urgent public importance, drew the attention of the House to series of accidents which occurred at the affected spots and had claimed the lives of students while crossing the high ways .

He asserted that construction of the pedestrian bridges at those strategic positions were part of effort of the parliament to ease the problem of pedestrians crossing the highways, particularly members of staff and students of the affected institutions.

According to Hon. Osazewinde, “after the construction and commissioning of these bridges, the problems associated with carnages on the roads remain unabated, as a result of the non use of the bridges by pedestrians and commuters.”

He recalled the ugly incident which occured on the 31st of March, 2019 where a promising undergraduate student of the University of Benin was knocked down and killed by a reckless driver.

He also cited similar cases of deaths recorded at the front of Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, as a result of the absence of pedestrian bridge to stem the tide of accidents on the road.

The motion which received overwhelming support from other members of the House, mandated relevant authorities, federal and state governments, the Nigerian Police, Federal Road Safety Corp, Edo State Traffic Management Agency, to take proactive steps at effecting the compulsory use of the pedestrian bridges.

The House also called for the setting up of a mobile court to try and sentence defaulters in line with the State Traffic Offences Law.

Speaker of the House, Mr. Kabiru Adjoto, directed that clean copies of the adopted resolution be sent to the Acting Governor Philip Shaibu, for his assent.

He also directed that copies be sent to the Vice Chancellors of Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, University of Benin, the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Presidents of the Students Union Governments of the affected institutions, the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Corps and Federal Road Maintenance Agency FERMA.