NIGERIA SUPPORTS US INITIATIVE ON DISTRACTED DRIVING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000248 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO OES/S FOSTER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON SENV SOCI UNDP UNGA NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA SUPPORTS US INITIATIVE ON DISTRACTED DRIVING REF: STATE 6703 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, and Economic Counselor delivered reftel points on distracted driving to the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Federal Road Safety Commission Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, respectively, and encouraged strong legal measures against driving while using cell phones. All three Nigerian officials acknowledged the need for such measures and pledged support for the U.S. initiative, including supporting a possible United Nations resolution against the use of cell phones while driving. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- MFA CHARACTERIZES EXECUTIVE ORDER AS A "WONDERFUL INITIATIVE" -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Sanders delivered reftel points on distracted driving to Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ojo Maduekwe during a telephone conversation on January 23. Maduewkwe said this is a "wonderful initiative" and one that Nigeria would support. He added that thousands of lives are lost every year because of the use of cell phones while driving and that this is something Nigeria needs to address. Ambassador Sanders committed to presenting the U.S. non-paper on the subject and engaging key government officials in follow-up discussions on the topic. She added that Mission members would engage the Acting Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Federal Road Safety Administration (FRSC) in the coming days. Maduekwe, a former Minister of Transport, concluded that "a world-wide effort on this is very much needed." -------------- -------------- NIGERIA PREPARED TO SUPPORT A UN RESOLUTION ON DISTRACTED DRIVING -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Charge delivered reftel points on distracted driving to Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Anthony A. Sekudo on February 3. Sekudo agreed that talking on cell phone while driving is unsafe and mentioned other hazardous examples, including "smoking and listening to the radio." Sekudo said that "Nigeria is quite prepared to collaborate on this matter, as it is beneficial to both governments and our two peoples." He added that "if the U.S. is ready to sponsor a resolution within the United Nations (UN),the Government of Nigeria (GON) will support it, if not co-sponsor it." ¶4. (SBU) The Charge also left a newspaper article on an automobile accident that took place on February 1 near the Nigerian Foreign Minister's residence and an American Embassy compound in which a driver talking on a cell phone became distracted and ran into a crowd of roadside construction workers, killing five of them instantly and injuring a sixth. Sekudo emphasized that the U.S. can "rest assured of continued GON cooperation and collaboration on all affairs, especially during Nigeria's two-year tenure on the UN Security Council." He reiterated this message while referring to the U.S. and Nigeria as "close friends" and noting that "the U.S. should be more understanding on issues." (NOTE: This is a reference to the GON's on-going complaint against Nigeria's appearance on the U.S. Transportation Safety Administration's (TSA) listing of countries of concern. END NOTE). ABUJA 00000248 002 OF 002 -------------- -------------- CELL PHONES USAGE WHILE DRIVING ILLEGAL IN NIGERIA -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The Economic Counselor and Transportation Officer also delivered reftel points to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Corps Marshal and Chief Executive Osita Chidoka and his Special Assistant Janet Adepegba on January 28. Chidoka said he attended the Moscow Ministerial Conference on Global Safety (November 19-20) and was pleased with the "strong" message U.S. Secretary of Transportation La Hood delivered. Chidoka, who serves as President of the West African Road Safety Organization (WARSO) and as Chairperson for the African Countries International Road Safety Organization, said he welcomed the initiative and expressed willingness to fully cooperate in addressing the growing problem of cell phone usage while driving. He noted that cell phone usage of any kind while operating a motor vehicle is against federal law in Nigeria and that offenders can be subject to arrest and/or fines. He added that cell phone usage under this law includes talking, emailing, and text messaging. Chidoka agreed that more should be done to enforce the law and sought U.S. assistance in strengthening the GON's capacity to prosecute offenders. He was specifically interested in learning how the FRSC's U.S. counterparts deal with drivers who claim that they were not using cell phones at the time they were stopped by the road safety police. (NOTE: Chidoka complained that some Nigerian drivers are so technologically savvy that they delete their most recent cell phone messages between the time they are pulled over and the time the road safety police have time to ask for their cell phones. END NOTE). -------------- NIGERIAN ROAD SAFETY TRENDS -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Chidoka provided some accident figures, most of which did not distinguish distracted driving from cell phone use as the cause for crashes, injuries, and fatalities. He promised to forward additional data in the coming days (NOTE: Post will transmit expected GON data via septel. END NOTE). The total number of crash-related fatalities declined in 2008 and 2009, according to Chidoka. He did not provide specific numbers but attributed the decline to increased FRSC enforcement against overloading by commercial minibuses and greater police presence in the southeastern part of the country during the most recent holiday season. He said that the majority of recorded car-crash fatalities occurred in the northwestern part of the country and cited passenger overloading as the key culprit. Chidoka explained that many commercial drivers were overloading 15-seater vans with 18 or more people, making their vehicles unstable and endangering the lives of the occupants. Chidoka agreed that more could be done to collect accident statistics directly related to cell phone usage. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Anecdotal evidence suggests that Nigeria, with its poor road conditions and signage, excessive speeding, poor motor vehicle maintenance and repair practices, and lack of well-equipped and staffed trauma centers, suffers from a high rate of vehicular accidents and their aftermath. That said, it is encouraging that Nigeria already has federal laws against cell phone usage while driving and enhanced enforcement of these laws and greater public awareness could save many lives. The federal laws could also be introduced and enforced at the state level, as many roads in the country are under state jurisdiction. The Mission will continue to engage the FRSC and will attempt to facilitate the FRSC-requested training from its U.S. counterparts. SANDERS