As part of activities to mark the 2023 Human Rights Day, the Headfort Foundation left its comfort zone to advocate for the rights of drivers and motorists at Ojota Park.
The Foundation recognizing that commercial drivers oftentimes run fowl with the law decided to assemble key stakeholders in charge of law enforcement on the highways to educate the drivers on road etiquette and what was expected of them on the roads.
Speaking to newsmen at the event held recently at Ojota in Lagos, Mrs Oluyemi Orija, Executive Director of the foundation said that the goal of the occasion was to educate the commercial drivers on their fundamental human rights and also empower them with knowledge to seek redress through the assistance of human rights lawyers in case their rights were violated.
Orija said that the foundation was pleased to assemble representatives from the Police, Vehicle Inspection Office, and Federal Road Safety Corps to teach the commercial drivers what the law expects from them on the highway and in the language they would understand.
According to her, the foundation decided to focus on commercial drivers in 2023 because they engage with law enforcement agents daily.
“It is good to bring them together to discuss how to improve their relationships and to ensure that nobody’s rights were violated,” Orija said.
The executive director said that for any society to thrive, there must be respect for human rights and peaceful coexistence.
She urged the law enforcement agents to carry out their duties without infringing on people’s rights.
Also, Mr Kayode Mogbojuri, a legal expert, advised commercial drivers to always respect the law in any action they take.
The different law enforcement agents present at the event took turns to educate the drivers on what the law expects from them on the road.
The executives of the Park expressed gratitude to the foundation for taking out time to educate their colleagues on the fundamentals of human rights, especially as applied to their profession.
The drivers took turns asking the law enforcement agents questions partaking their conduct on the highway.
