Bauchi State Government reaffirms commitment to safer rural roads and reduced accidents

By Alhaji Abubakar.

Bauchi State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to developing durable and safer rural transport networks to protect lives, improve mobility and facilitate the movement of agricultural produce across the state.

The State Commissioner for Rural Development and Special Duties, Alhaji Abdul Hassan, stated this while declaring open a two-day regional training and road safety campaign for Bauchi, Gombe and Plateau states in Bauchi.

Alhaji Hassan said the initiative was aimed at improving rural transport management and reducing road traffic accidents, particularly along rural access corridors.

He stressed that the state government was committed to creating safer rural transport networks that would support local economies, improve agricultural logistics and enhance the livelihoods of rural communities.

Representing the National Coordinator of the Federal Project Management Unit, Engineer Aminu Mohammed Bodinga, the Assistant Infrastructure Officer, Engineer Musa Mohammed Aji, said the programme was designed to strengthen the capacity of road users and improve traffic management and road safety standards across the region.

In his welcome address, the Director-General of the Bauchi State Rural Access Roads Authority, RARA, Engineer Stephen Abubakar, said a major focus of the workshop was the rollout of a new Draft Road Safety Audit Manual.

He explained that the manual provides a proactive framework for identifying potential road hazards and putting measures in place to address them before they result in accidents.

Also speaking, the Bauchi State RAAMP Project Coordinator, Engineer Danladi Mohammed, said the programme would focus on capacity building on the draft road safety manual, road safety education in selected schools along RAAMP corridors, promotion of safe school zones and community awareness.

He said the awareness campaign would target residents, commercial drivers, motorcycle riders, pedestrians and schoolchildren, with the aim of promoting responsible road use and reducing road traffic accidents.

The programme, organised by the Bauchi State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), brought together government officials, transport unions, security agencies and community leaders to strengthen collaboration on rural road safety and transport management.