- NB, FRSC Take DDD Mega Rallies to Three States
Nigerian Breweries Plc has commenced the 2018 edition of its annual Don’t Drink and Drive campaign in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps.
The campaign aimed at creating road safety awareness and minimise the dangers of drink driving would involve staging mega rallies this year in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Ojota in Lagos State and Minna in Niger State, according to the firm.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Breweries, Mr Jordi Borrut Bel, said this in Lagos on Thursday at the press conference marking the beginning of the 11th edition of the safety campaign.
He said it would also involve enlightenment rallies for drivers in various cities, deployment of print and electronic media messages, fliers, free medical checks such as blood pressure and eye tests for drivers during the rallies.
Borrut Bel explained that since the start of the initiative, the company had held similar rallies in motor parks and other locations in 42 cities and towns across the country.
“In the process, we have directly engaged over 20,000 drivers, other road users and a higher number of people through media messages,” he stated.
According to him, some behavioural changes have been recorded among drivers from evaluations conducted by research experts.
He said, “This partnership which is a major pillar of our responsible consumption campaign is part of our long-term strategic sustainability agenda, Brewing a Better World…
“The Don’t Drink and Drive campaign is a corporate social responsibility initiative designed to improve safety on Nigerian roads by discouraging the habit of drink driving especially among commercial drivers and riders, young people with access to cars and private car owners/drivers. The sustenance of this initiative for 11years is a firm demonstration of our commitment to the promotion of safety on Nigerian roads.”
The Corps Marshall and Chief Executive, FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, commended Nigerian Breweries for the laudable campaign, which he urged other organisations to emulate.
He said the campaign’s impact on road users, especially commercial drivers, had been high since the corps signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the leading brewing company.
He affirmed that in order to promote responsible drinking, the FRSC had acquired digital alcoylser to test the level of alcohol in drivers.
“If the alcoholic content exceeds 0.05mm in a driver, then it is considered abnormal and not good for driving,” Oyeyemi said.
The mega rallies for this year’s edition has been expanded to involve the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, tanker drivers, luxury bus drivers, commercial tricycle and motorcycle riders, non-governmental organisations and members of the National Youth Service Corps, among others.
