The House of Representatives on Thursday took significant steps to ban the sale of alcohol and psychoactive drugs in and around motor parks in Nigeria.
This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by the member representing Ibadan North-East/Ibadan South-East Federal Constituency, Oyo State, Mr Abbas Adigun, during Thursday’s plenary.
Emphasising the need to support the motion, the lawmaker noted that a report by the Federal Road Safety Commission indicates that 90 per cent of road accidents in the country are caused by the consumption of alcoholic drinks and hard drugs, among other factors.
He said, “The consumption of psychoactive drugs and alcohol increases the risk of motor accidents, leading to loss of driving coordination, poor judgment, poor vision, and consequently loss of life and property.
“The House is aware that it is global practice that alcohol and other substances that could be abused are limited to pubs and not to parks and public transport areas.
“We are worried that motor parks have become sales points for alcohol and illicit drugs where drivers consume these substances before take-off, thereby endangering the lives of passengers.
“We are also concerned that alcoholic beverages are freely available and openly displayed at motor parks, except for narcotic drugs that are traded and consumed clandestinely.”
He also argued, “Many drivers take alcohol or hard drugs before embarking on their journey simply because they are being sold at the motor parks, thereby endangering the lives of passengers and pedestrians.”
Following the adoption of the motion, the House urged the Federal, State, and Local Government Areas to immediately ban the sale of alcoholic drinks and other drug-related substances in and around motor parks in Nigeria.
The House also urged the FRSC to extend its services to the parks and carry out random tests for drivers to ensure that they are not under the influence, and urged transport business owners with private parks to discourage the sale of alcoholic drinks in the parks.
It further called on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to focus its efforts on motor parks across the country to arrest and prosecute dealers and consumers of illicit drugs.
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