The
Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki has charged staff of the Federal Road Safety
Corps (FRSC) to embark on aggressive enforcement of traffic laws, saying doing
so would ensure compliance of the people and serve as disincentive to traffic
violations. He made the call while receiving the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr
Boboye Oyeyemi who was on advocacy visit to the National Assembly.
In
a press release by Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy, FRSC, Dr
Saraki who was accompanied by some principal officers of the Senate, commended
FRSC for initiating the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy document which would guide
the nation in its campaigns against road carnage. He expressed the readiness of
the National Assembly to support the Corps in making laws that could strengthen
its operations to carry out its statutory functions diligently on the highways.
“The
Nigeria Road Safety Strategy document is central to the success of the
campaigns for ensuring safer road environments in the country. We are happy
that the nation has gotten its own; and I want to assure you that we would
continue to render necessary legislative support to enhance diligent
implementation of the provisions of the document,” he stated.
According
to the Senate President, the National Assembly is ever ready to make laws that
could assist in strengthening the powers of the FRSC to carry out its functions
and improving its logistics through adequate funding. He advised that all hands
should be on the deck to ensure that whatever logistics that are available are
optimally utilised to keep the roads safe for users.
He
called on the Corps Marshal to identify areas that require legislative actions,
assuring that the National Assembly is prepared to harmonise such areas in the
Bills that are currently in different stages of legislative work. He also
identifies the use of seatbelt and obedience to traffic signs as strategic
areas that the Corps should lay emphasis upon in its operations, saying
ensuring safety of road users is a concern to all members of the National
Assembly.
Earlier
in his presentation titled,”Securing Legislative Support to improve Road Safety
in Nigeria,” the Corps Marshal analysed the functions of the FRSC and the
proactive strategies the agency has put in place to address road safety
challenges in the country. These he said, include the annual setting of road
safety strategic goals aimed at achieving tangible results on the highways. He
however observed that despite the efforts, there are certain infrastructural
and legislative gaps that are necessary for effective reforms on road safety.
He
frowned at the practice of using logs of wood, boulders and other encroachments
on the highways, appealing to the Senate for legislative support to address the
menace. He added that defacing of road safety signs and dilapidation of roads
are part of the challenges. The Corps Marshal further appealed to the National
Assembly to assist in proper funding of the FRSC and providing the Corps with
heavy duty trucks for prompt removal of obstructions as well as provision of
advanced life support ambulances for increased efficiency in rescue operations.
Oyeyemi
was accompanied on the visit by some principal officers of the FRSC National Headquarters
including the Deputy Corps Marshal in charge of Operations, Ojeme Ewrudjakpor,
the Corps Legal Adviser, Wole Adeniran among others.
Tags
Society