FRSC strategises to address key sector challenges

If current reforms being plan by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to ensure a safer motoring community in the country are implemented, recurring road accidents, hurdles over driver’s licences, inadequate road signs among other challenges may see meaningful reduction.

As part of the reforms, drivers licence applicants who are applying for renewal may soon have the opportunity to apply directly from their comfort zones, while new applicants must present a certificate from an accredited driver’s training school before consideration.

Also, the agency which recently approved an optionally validity period for drivers licence of three and five years respectively said its current efforts would overhaul the corps’ operations.

With a Nigeria Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) documents targeting to tackle distressing issues that have contributed to current rate of road carnage in the country, FRSC revealed during a media tour Abuja that the agency has embarked upon production of road signage to reduce the challenge across the country.

Corp Marshal, FRSC Boboye Oyeyemi said recent developments in the sector symbolises “the sustained intent of the Federal Government to raise the bar on road safety management and collective dedication to the task of exploring innovative and resourceful ways of funding the road safety intervention in the road sector”.

Oyeyemi said the agency, which was injected with 283 operational vehicles on Monday, has received exceptionally support from current administration in the effort to meet global best practice.

The vehicles, purchased from local assembly plants including Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited and Nissan Nigeria, Oyeyemi said was first time such large number of operational vehicles would be introduced at a time in the 28 year history of the corps.

Oyeyemi said: “Globally the task of managing motorization and road transportation is often fraught with daunting challenges. While Africa is noted to have suffered the greatest burden from the consequences of road transportation, the peculiarities of the Nigerian socio-political environment appear to make the Accomplishment of this task even more difficult.

“Our determination in this regard cannot and will not in the least be compromised because the lives of our citizens, using these roads is vital to our socio-economic renewal and indeed national‎ transformation.”