Price of safety helmets drops in Makurdi

The price of safety helmets has dropped from N1,200 to N800 in Makurdi, Benue State the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

An investigation by NAN in Makurdi on Thursday showed that the price drop was sequel to massive supply of helmets to the state, following intensified enforcement of the regulation on its use by the Federal Road Safety Commission.

NAN reports that the state government, which procured its own helmets, was selling a set accompanied with a reflection jacket and an Identity card for N5,500.

Commenting on the price drop, Samson Audu, the spokesman of FRSC in the state, noted that the commission's strict enforcement of the regulation led to a higher demand for helmets.

He said this in turn made traders to flood the state with helmets since the demand for it had gone up.
Mr. Audu, who said 200 motorcycles were impounded in the first three days that FRSC enforced the use of helmets, added however, that the motorcycles were released to the riders who later procured the helmets.

On the allegation that FRSC was compelling motorcyclists to buy the state government's helmets, Mr. Audu said the claim was false.

He said the corps was out to enforce the use of helmets and not the use of the ones procured by the state government with the inscription, ''Our Benue, Our Future.''

He said FRSC would not allow people to use helmets designed either for construction workers or for use in industries.

Some of the motorcyclists, who spoke with NAN, however, said they could
not afford to buy the branded government helmets because of their exorbitant prices.

A commercial motorcyclist, who gave his name as Joseph, claimed that he bought the same grade of helmet in the open market for N800. All I need to do is print ''Our Benue, Our Future'' on it.

Another motorcyclist, Moses Emmanuel, said he could not make N5,500 from the business in less than one week, adding ''I cannot buy government's helemets.''

Mr. Emmanuel said: "Other state governments are giving helmets free to riders but government in Benue is busy exploiting us."

However, Zurum Aba, an inspector of taxes at the state Licence Office, told NAN that he did not know why the price of government helmet was fixed at N5,500.

Mr. Aba, who said the helmets were of high quality, added the state government ordered for 6,000 units.