The House of Representatives has advocated for an immediate ban on the sale of alcohol and psychoactive substances within and around motor parks across Nigeria.
This decision was reached on Thursday following a motion presented by Mr. Abbas Adigun, the member representing Ibadan North-East/Ibadan South-East Federal Constituency in Oyo State.
During the plenary session in Abuja, Mr. Adigun highlighted a report from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), which indicates that alcohol and drug consumption are responsible for nearly 90 percent of road accidents in the country.
He warned that the widespread availability of alcohol and psychoactive substances in motor parks poses a critical risk to road safety, leading to impaired driving, diminished judgment, poor vision, and ultimately, tragic loss of life and property.
“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,” Adigun stated.
He further emphasized that globally, alcohol and other potentially harmful substances are typically restricted to designated pubs and are not sold in public transportation areas, a standard Nigeria must now consider adopting.
The lawmaker expressed grave concern over the normalization of alcohol sales in motor parks, where drivers often consume these substances before embarking on journeys, thereby jeopardizing the safety of passengers and pedestrians alike.
“We are worried that motor parks have become sale points of alcohol and illicit drugs where drivers, before take-off, consume these substances thereby endangering the lives of passengers,” he warned.
While narcotic drugs are traded more covertly, Adigun noted that alcoholic beverages are openly displayed and easily accessible at these locations.
The House of Representatives, acting on Adigun’s motion, has called on federal, state, and local governments to impose an immediate ban on alcohol and drug sales within motor parks.
Furthermore, the FRSC has been urged to extend its monitoring activities to these parks, conducting random tests to ensure that drivers are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Transport business operators with privately owned parks are also encouraged to support this initiative by discouraging alcohol sales on their premises.
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