By Ndamodu Ali
Participants at the ongoing capacity-building workshop organised by the Nigeria Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (NG-RAAMP) have taken the School Safe Zones campaign to the community level with a road safety awareness outreach at Rafinyashi Primary and Secondary School, Minna, Niger State.
The outreach featured the unveiling and public display of School Safe Zones campaign posters designed to promote safer roads for pupils, students and other vulnerable road users along RAAMP intervention corridors.
Community leaders, residents and school authorities participated in the sensitisation exercise, emphasising the need for collective responsibility in protecting children and reducing road risks around schools.
Speaking on the impact of the workshop, members of the Kogi State delegation said the training had provided valuable insights into integrating road safety measures into infrastructure development.
The delegation, which comprised the Infrastructure Engineer, Engr. Abdulbasit Musa; Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer, Sanitarian Oluwatoyin Olaleye; GBV Officer, Aishat Abdullahi; and the Director-General of the Kogi Rural Access Roads Authority (RARA), Engr. Muhammad Ohiekwu, described the sessions as insightful and impactful.
They stressed that road safety considerations should be incorporated at the planning and design stages of road projects rather than being addressed after construction.
The officials also commended the resource persons for highlighting practical approaches to protecting school children and other vulnerable road users in communities benefiting from RAAMP interventions.
The School Safe Zones initiative is one of the road safety measures being promoted under RAAMP to create safer learning environments and reduce the risk of crashes around schools located along rural road corridors.
