Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari over the death of the Minister of State for Labour, Barrister James Ocholi.
The Minister in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media Abubakar Sani, said he received with shock and deep sense of loss, the news of the Minister’s death adding that more saddening was the fact that he died along with his wife and son in the fatal car crash which occurred along the Abuja – Kaduna road on Sunday.
Bello described Ocholi as an exceptional team player and a loyalist to the core, stressing that his commitment to President Muhammadu Buhari’s change agenda was unwavering and that he remained passionate about it until his last breath.
The Minister called on the President to take solace in the fact that Ocholi died while working assiduously to actualize his dream of a better Nigeria, championed by this administration.
The Minister said that Nigeria will miss the late Minister’s contributions to national development which he demonstrated during his short but memorable stay in office.
Muhammad Bello advised the people of Kogi state to accept Ocholi’s demise as a thing destined by God even as he prayed that his soul should rest in peace.
Meanwhile, the driver of the Sport Utility Vehicle which conveyed the Minister yesterday is said to have also died bringing the number of deaths in the fatal accident to five.
This is even as the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi on has said that the commission has began full investigation into the causes of the crash of the car of the late Minister of Labour and productivity to determine what led to the ghastly crash in order to prevent future occurrence,
The FRSC also commiserates with President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the Federal Executive Council and the immediate family of Barrister James Eneojo Ocholi on the death of the Minister on the Kaduna- Abuja road.
According to Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy of the corps in a statement in Abuja said Oyeyemi said that the death of the Minister in the crash was a tragic incident that has challenged FRSC to step up its campaigns against carnage, saying he was personally touched and would work with relevant stakeholders to develop appropriate strategies that could address future occurrences.
“The crash occurred at about 1500hrs and involved two vehicles: one Toyota Lexus LX570 car and a backup car. Three lives were lost in the incident. While the Minister and his son died instantly, the wife later died at the Doka Hospital near Kaduna.”
The Corps Marshal said that as soon as the crash occurred, FRSC rescue teams were mobilized from the Ambulance Point and Unit Command at Doka and Kateri respectively to the scene where they carried out the rescue activities. He pointed out that the corpses were conveyed to the National Hospital Abuja by personnel of the FRSC where they were deposited.
On the cause of the crash, Oyeyemi disclosed that preliminary investigation into the cause indicated that the crash was due to tyre burst, which led to loss of control and somersaulting of the vehicle. He added however that he has ordered full investigation into the crash to be carried out by FRSC Accident Investigation Team.
“I have already ordered full investigation into the causes of the crash to determine what led to the ghastly crash in order to prevent future occurrence,” he stated.
Meanwhile the Corps Marshal has disclosed that with the unfortunate incident, FRSC is more determined to work with the Executive and members of the National Assembly as well as other relevant stakeholders to workout appropriate modalities for ensuring crash-free roads, saying training and retraining of government drivers is part of the immediate measures being taken by the FRSC to avert convoy crashes in the country.
He noted that when FRSC trained the drivers of the Governors’ convoy, the benefits in terms of improved driving culture became immediately noticeable, saying the Corps would be working with members of the Federal Executive Council to put some measures in place, including re-training of their drivers to avoid convoy crashes.
“We are working with the Minister of Works, Power and Housing to install traffic signs at some strategic points along the highways. We are equally committed to working with the National Assembly to step up advocacy and enforcement strategies to curtail issues of speed violation and promotion of use of seatbelt,” Oyeyemi stated. [myad]
