The Republic of Ghana is on the verge of partnering
with Nigeria on data base integration, bordering on the registration of
vehicles and drivers on the continent of Africa, as part of collective efforts
to enhance safety practices within the West African region.
Speaking during a state visit to the Republic of
Ghana, the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps,
Osita Chidoka, advocated for an integrated data base on registration of
vehicles and drivers within the sub-region and the need to foster existing
rapport between the two countries to enhance safer road use in Africa.
The reciprocated visit which was a fallout of a
recent visit by the Ghanaian President to Nigeria, who was represented by the
Vice President at the FRSC 5th Annual Lecture Series, was at the
instance of an invitation by the President of Ghana, John Dramani Mhama for the
FRSC Corps Marshal to be in Ghana for further deliberations and to seek areas
of mutual collaboration between Nigeria and Ghana.
According to the Corps Marshal who is also the
President of the West African Road Safety Organization (WARSO), an
integrated data base on vehicles registration and drivers between the two
countries, will go a long way to boost efforts being presently put in place to
combat crime and other form of security challenges confronting the West African
Sub-region.
In his response, the Ghanaian President commended
the Corps Marshal for the developmental strides which the FRSC has taken under
the present dispensation to transform road safety management in Nigeria, which
has to a large extent, impacted positively on the road culture in Nigeria.
President Dramani also urged West African countries
to key into an on-going advertorial by the Kenya government, which seeks to
give voice to passengers to put the driver under check in the event any
reckless driving.
The highpoint of the meeting was the need to raise
the bar on road safety management in Africa and the enhanced capacity building
initiatives to enrich and equip drivers and road safety officers with
contemporary global trends for road safety practices and management.
The Ghanaian President also assured the FRSC Corps
Marshal of his country’s willingness to partner with Nigeria to replicate its
on-going plans to assist Sierra Leone to establish a lead agency in road safety
management, in Ghana.
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Society