NITT, FRSC disagree on powers to train drivers, motorists

The Nigerian Institute for Transport Technology (NITT) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have disagreed over powers of the FRSC to train drivers and motorists in the country.

While the NITT insisted that FRSC lacked powers to train drivers and motorists, the corps maintained that has authority to train drivers and other road users.

Addressing newsmen after a three-day retreat organised by the institute in Kaduna, Chairman of NITT’s Governing Council, John Onogheharho, said some institutions, including the FRSC, which have no mandate to give training on transport and logistics, were creeping in to highjack the institute’s responsibilities.

He said the FRSC had even partnered with the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to establish driving school for training of cadets in the rudiments, theory and practical knowledge of driving.

“The major challenge is the issue of quackery. There are a lot of quacks offering training and manpower development in transportation and logistics and they are not actually standardised and capable of offering those services.

“One of the challenge is that people take up roles that they are not setup to do or capable of doing. There are institutions that are not authorised to train people in this sector. I don’t want to mention organisations, but even (FRSC), has started training and this is not their core mandate, that is NITT’s mandate,” he stated.

But in a swift reaction, the FRSC said it was authorised to train drivers and motorists, adding that the agency has the mandate to do so.