Ember months: Motorcycle riders, owners task FG on enforcement of PPE regulations

As the Yuletide season draws nearer, the National President of Riders and Owners Motorcycle Association (ROMAN), Alhaji Solebo Razaq Sotayo, has advised the federal government to enforce regulations that will ensure the wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) by every commercial motorcycle across the country, to curb unnecessary deaths from accidents.

Alhaji Solebo who stating this in Abuja on Friday, said that his leadership is doing everything possible to safeguard lives of its members as well as discourage the ‘agent of death’ tags on commercial motorcycle riders.

He advise the federal government through the relevant ministries to as a matter of urgency make regulations that will ensure safety of motorcycle riders than banning their activities.

Alhaji Solebo said, “What we are trying to discourage, is this ‘agent of death’ hash tag on all riders across the country knowing full well that the business is a true epitome of economic driver. We are trying to ensure that even during and after Yuletide, that our members and their passengers stay alive and enjoy the fruit of their labour. I would like to tell them that everyone loves to celebrate life including the riders which people thinks are agents of death”.

 “We All know that this is a real small scale business opportunity that cut across both educated and non-educated alike.

“What the federal government has left undone is to create enabling environment, make laws and executive compliance. We all travel to other countries of the world such as India, China, Pakistan and we also witness how commercial tricycle and motorcycle operates with PPEs which was adopted by the government as a regulation.

“Our own is different here and they forgot that white collar jobs are not easy to secure. When they adopt the wearing of crash helmet and other protectives and strictly implement it, then it will reduce accidents accustomed with motorcycle crashes.

“We are also negotiating with the Road Safety and VIO on the issue of members getting their plate numbers and also to stop disobeying road rules avoid road crashes and sudden deaths,” he said.