The Head of Youth Desk of the Department of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Lagos, Anake  Juliana, has advised drivers to shun careless driving as negligence on the wheel has grave consequences.

Juliana said this recently at the Youth Justice and Dignity Project organised by Young Men’s Christian Association, YMCA, held recently at Obalende roundabout, Lagos.

Tagged “Talent Hunt for Bus Conductors: Resilience Against Negative Peer Pressure,” it brought together bus conductors, drivers and members of Nigeria Union of Road Transport Worker, NURTW.

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It featured talks on safety tips for bus drivers and talents hunts among the conductors and three participants won N10,000 each.

According to her, many drivers are in Correctional Centres because of their negligence and carelessness while driving.

She noted that driving recklessly has dire consequences as there is no ignorance before the law.

She urged drivers to avoid taking illicit drugs before driving so as not to run into trouble.

Drinking and driving

Juliana cited a case of a driver now in Kirikiri Prison because he knocked down someone and the investigation had it that he drove that day under the influence of alcohol.

On her part, the Health Rights Officer, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Grace Adenubi spoke about how drivers and bus conductors can access free legal services from Legal Aid Council when they are in trouble in as much as they are not on the wrong side of the law.

In his words, the Zonal Coordinator of Youth Justice and Dignity Project, Olukayode Ogunyemi, the project is aimed at exposing vulnerable youths to understand the law and avoid running afoul of the law.

He said that many youths in Correctional Centres do not have any business there, but because they contravened the law unknowingly.

Thus empowering young people with the right information and empowering them to be a productive citizen, he said, is very germane.

Ogunyemi added: “We want to shift the focus of vulnerable youths which include bus conductors and sex workers, to something more productive for themselves, their families and the nation.”

Vanguard News Nigeria