By Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nnewi

The Anambra State Federal Road Safety Corps Department of Special Marshal and Partnership R.S 53 has taken its safety campaign to the churches with over 70 clergy men from the Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal churches in the state joining the fold.

•Sub Dean of All saints Cathedral Onitsha, Ven Obiora Uzochukwu taking oath of allegiance

This was disclosed by the Anambra State Coordinator of Special Marshal and Partnership of the State Sector Command of Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC, Mr. Ben Osaka in an interview with South East Voice shortly after the inauguration of the new Special Marshal and Partnership RS 5.3 Anambra State Sector Command, 2015, held at St Mary’s Catholic Church Hall Onitsha.

“The number of clergy men who have joined the Special Marshal fold is increasing on daily basis, we have 30 Catholic priests, there are Bishops in our fold and there are other Pentecostal clergy men working with us, and we need them to carry that message to the Churches.

“We want more priests to join us, we encourage them to join so that they can impact that knowledge. You know that the people obey their priests. That is why we encourage them to join to help us pass the information to their members and we believe that with  this collaboration with  priests, road safety campaign will be taken to the next level,” he said.

Some of the clergy men that were inaugurated into the fold were, Sub Dean of All saints Cathedral Onitsha Ven. Obiora Uzochukwu, Ven. Obi Ubaka, Ven Ukpeke and Ven. Sam Adorao, and other senior priests from the Anglican Communion, Catholic and Pentecostal churches in the state.

Mr. Osaka, an Onitsha based legal practitioner also disclosed that his administration has put in place a formidable structure that will help in ensuring   sustainable achievements of the  Special Marshals in the state.

“One of the structures my administration has put in place for the sustenance of the achievements we have recorded over the years is ensuring that people of proven integrity are recruited into the fold, including those with new initiatives and good character for the onerous task of keeping the roads accident free and safe,” he said.

He said that the newly inaugurated 318 members is not enough, for the  State which he described as too large for such number, adding that  Ekwulobia, Uga, Umunze, Agulu, Nanka are some of the towns that need Special Marshals presence to help make the roads safe.

He added that Uga and Umunze currently have only two Special Marshals,while Aguluzigbo has only one, and wondered what only such few numbers will be doing in such big and developing towns, saying that the state need 200 more Special Marshals to go to the hinter lands.

He said that one of the problems militating against their activities in the state is lack of manpower, impatience from the people of the state who are eager to break the laws, and answering calls while driving.