Road Safety Group Calls for VIO Revitalization in Nigeria

The Association Nigeria has called on the federal and state governments to prioritize the revitalization of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) to address the alarming rate of road traffic crashes and fatalities in Nigeria. Fide Nnadi, a representative of the association, emphasized that Nigeria loses approximately 40,000 citizens annually to road accidents, with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) attributing 30% of these incidents to mechanical failures.

The group noted that the country incurs a loss of 3% of its GDP yearly due to road crashes, amounting to 5 trillion Naira in medical costs and infrastructure damage. Nnadi argued that the VIO system should be viewed as an investment rather than an expenditure, advocating for a five-point national VIO revival pact.

This includes legal protections for VIOs, swift prosecution of those obstructing their duties, and the establishment of a unified national electronic VIO platform. The association also proposed recruiting and training an additional 5,000 officers to meet operational benchmarks.