Corps member launches distress call mobile application
A corps member serving in Minna, Mr Musa Bello, has designed a road safety awareness and distress call centre mobile application that can be downloaded on the play store.
At the launch of the application on Wednesday in Minna, Bello said that the application would display the location of the caller so that emergency managers could come to his or her aid faster.
The corps member, who is serving with the Nigeria Television Authority, said that the project was part of his Community Development Service (CDS).
“I developed this application as part of my personal CDS; it can be used to call all emergency phone numbers. “The numbers we have now on the app are the national emergency numbers: those of the police, Red Cross, fire service, National Emergency Management Agency and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Niger State,” Bello said.
He said that the initiative would make it easier for people to reach out to relevant authorities in emergency situations.
“The reason I designed this app is that, in some cases, when accidents occur, people find it difficult to get across to relevant agencies for help.
“There was a day I was travelling and an accident occurred; I had to start calling a friend for FRSC toll-free distress numbers.
“But with apps like this, you can easily call and it will even display your location for them to see and come to your aid,” he added.
Bello also said that the application contained safety and rescue tips for children, adding that the application would be simple to use.
In her remarks, the Niger State NYSC Co-ordinator, Mrs Bolade Loto, hailed Bello for the initiative.
Loto, who was represented by Mr Michael Macaulay, urged corps members to execute projects that would meet the needs of their host communities. Also speaking, a special marshal, Hajiya Maryam Abdulsalam, commended the innovation, and hoped that it would go a long way to save lives.
NAN reports that Bello is a graduate of computer science from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna.