NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Appraising FRSC’s transformative efforts to reduce Road Traffic Crashes in Nigeria

282 total views today

 

By Ibironke Ariyo, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

 

Nigeria has been grappling with the menace of road traffic crashes for decades, resulting in the loss of countless lives and leaving many families shattered.

 

The country’s roads were bedeviled by accidents caused by a combination of factors, including poor roads, reckless driving, and inadequate enforcement of traffic laws.

 

The appointment of Shehu Mohammed as the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), by President Bola Tinubu signals a renewed dedication to combating the scourge of road traffic crashes in Nigeria.

 

This move demonstrates the government’s commitment to enhancing road safety and reducing the alarming rate of road accidents in the country.

 

The strategic selection of Mohammed, a renowned specialist with a proven track record in tackling road traffic crashes, as the head of FRSC underscores the administration’s resolve to make meaningful impacts on road safety and sets the stage for achieving this critical objective.

 

The achievements of the FRSC in its enforcement and sensitisation campaigns over the past seven months of his tenure are no coincidence; they demonstrates the effectiveness of its current leader.

 

Mohammed has been instrumental in the Corps’ impressive track record, showcasing his ability to drive meaningful change and improvement in road safety in Nigeria.

 

The significant progress made by the FRSC is a testament to his vision and commitment to reducing road traffic crashes and promoting road safety awareness.

 

Under his leadership, the Corps made significant strides in tackling road traffic crashes, with a renewed focus to rejig and reposition operational strategies to conform with present-day realities.

 

Other strides include training and retraining of staff to align with realistic expectations; Strategic partnerships with sister agencies, international organisations, and Special Marshals; Digital transformation in operations, harmonisation of the ranking structure, career progression, and provision of conducive environment for working.

 

The Corps has been spearheading efforts to address road safety concerns, diligently undertaking a range of critical activities including investigations, prosecutions, vehicle impoundments, arrests, and public awareness campaigns to educate the public and promote behavioural change.

 

Notable among the achievements of the FRSC in the last seven months is the launch of its Mobile Application and National Crash Reporting Information System, (NACRIS), to verify drivers licence, number plates, and detect speed among others.

 

The app also provided services such as eye witness report, emergency reports, black spot, National traffic radio, speed limiter verification, driving school standardisation scheme verification, reminder for drivers licence, and vehicle paper renewal, and emergency contacts.

 

Speaking at the launch of the App, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Sen. George Akume, said that the launch of the digital platforms would raise awareness and sensitise drivers and passengers to the potential causes of road traffic crashes.

 

Akume said that it also marked a giant stride in the effort of the corps at implementing policies and creating a safer motoring environment by reducing crash-related injuries and deaths on the highways.

 

He commended the FRSC for its efforts in aligning with one of the cardinal objectives of the renewed hope agenda, targeted at digital transformation and economic growth of the nation.

 

In his words, the FRSC Corps Marshal said the mobile app is a software application that can be used to alert the corps on sensitive road safety issues through programmed features such as assisted speeding, dangerous driving, verifying vehicle documents, among others.

 

He said that the proper application of these features was expected to drastically reduce injuries and fatalities resulting from road traffic crashes.

 

On Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) in Nigeria, the FRSC Corps Marshal said that the Corps recorded a 12.8 per cent reduction between January and October 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.

 

Mohammed said that the decrease was a testament to the FRSC’s commitment to improving road safety in Nigeria while highlighting the corps’ efforts to enhance road safety and reduce the number of crashes on Nigerian roads.

 

He said that the Corps had set an ambitious target to reduce road traffic deaths by five per cent every year, aligning with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety.

 

The FRSC boss said that the Corps’ commitment to enhancing road safety underscored the FRSC’s dedication to protecting Nigerian lives on the roads.

 

“FRSC’s efforts to reduce road crashes are in line with the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, which aims to reduce road traffic fatalities by 50 per cent by 2030.

 

“The number of crashes decreased from 8,654 in 2023 to 7,675 in 2024, representing a 12.8 per cent reduction.

 

“Also, between January and October 2023, the corps recorded 25,126 injuries and fatalities, while the same period in 2024 saw a decrease to 24,525, representing a 2.5 per cent reduction,”he said.

 

The Corps Marshal has also demonstrated a strong commitment to the welfare and training of FRSC personnel.

 

Under his leadership, the Corps has invested heavily in the training and retraining of its personnel, equipping them with the skills and knowledge required to effectively enforce traffic laws and respond to emergencies.

 

Within seven months as Corps Marshal, Mohammed initiated the promotion of no fewer than 1,645 officers to their next ranks and upgraded 238 marshals to the rank of Superintendent Route Commander (SRC).

 

Mohammed explained that the promotion and upgrade were part of the Corps’ efforts to boost staff morale and productivity.

 

He also disclosed that 108 marshals were upgraded to the rank of Route Commander (RC), 407 to the rank of Deputy Route Commander (DRC), and 646 to the rank of Assistant Route Commander (ARC).

 

“You will recall that I made it clear that one of the key policy thrusts of my management team is to review and revive the welfare of staff. This is anchored on my conviction that welfare is a motivating factor for human resourcefulness,”he said.

 

As part of his restructuring efforts and ensuring safety during the Yuletide season, the Corps Marshal deployed the entire workforce including Special Marshals to the highways to ensure hitch-free movement as commuters travel from one destination to another across the nation.

 

He said that the deployment was in commemoration of the ’ember months’ special patrol operations, adding that the Corps’ had commenced its annual 30-day end-of-the-year special operation slated for Dec.15, 2024 to Jan. 15, 2025.

 

The theme for the 2024 ‘Ember Months’ Campaign is “Speak Up Against Dangerous Driving: Crashes Kill More Passengers than Drivers”. The campaign’s goal is to encourage the public to speak up against reckless driving and promote safe road practices.

 

According to him, there will be ambulances and officers on 24-hour duty to attend to emergencies during the operation.

 

“All roadside clinics and rest areas have also been activated and the Corps will increase its visibility in high-volume traffic corridors to enable travelers to reach their destinations on time.

 

“Over 200 mobile courts would be in session to prosecute traffic offenders across the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory.

 

“Also, more technological equipment, including body cameras and FRSC mobile apps, have been deployed to provide real-time updates on traffic situations and monitor the conduct of personnel during the special operation,” he said.

 

Owing to the strategic intervention mechanisms introduced towards ensuring safety on the highways, the FRSC boss led the end-of-year monitoring exercise to assess traffic situations in some parts of the North Central, South west, and South -South regions.

 

The exercise is aimed at ensuring a safe motoring environment for commuters and travelers during the yuletide season and the special patrol operations were targeted at ensuring zero fatalities and injuries during the end of the year travels.

 

The Corps Marshal, also embarked on a strategic monitoring of traffic situation on the highways, specifically on the Abuja -Lokoja-Okene-Akure-Agbor-Asaba-Onitsha passageways due to the high vehicular movement on that route during the yuletide season between Dec. 22 and Dec. 25, 2024.

 

In a bid to ensure stakeholders join forces with the Corps, Mohammed also met with traditional rulers and Governors to seek support on achieving the FRSC’s mandate during the strategic monitoring.

 

During such meetings, he maintained that the traditional rulers were critical stakeholders for the country to have a good driving culture and appealed for more collaboration in reducing carnage on the highway.

 

He met with the Olowo of Owo land, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin – Ogunoye 111, in Owo, Ondo state, the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state where he highlighted the relevance of stakeholders in addressing road traffic crashes in the country.

 

To ensure smooth vehicular movement at the Asaba inter change, on Dec. 24, the FRSC corps marshal, the Anambra State Sector Commander, Joyce Alexander and Delta State Sector Commander, Fredrick Ogidan controlled traffic for over three hours.

 

This is to enable travellers reach their destination safely and on time.

 

In spite of these successes, Mohammed acknowledges that there is still much work to be done. He has called on all stakeholders to join hands with the FRSC in the quest to make Nigerian roads safer.

 

According to him, road safety is a collective responsibility that requires the input and cooperation of all road users.

 

“We cannot do it alone. We need the support and cooperation of all road users to achieve our goal of making Nigerian roads safer,” he said.

 

The road to winning the war against road traffic crashes in Nigeria is long and challenging. However, with the FRSC’s efforts and the support of other critical stakeholders, there is hope that Nigeria can make its roads safer for all users.(NANFeatures)

 

**If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Personnel of the FRSC on a rescue operation at an accident scene

Yuletide: FRSC warns passengers against boarding unsafe vehicles

215 total views today

 

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Malam Shehu Mohammed, has urged passengers to exercise caution when boarding vehicles, especially during the festive season, to minimise the risk of road crashes.

 

Mohammed gave the warning in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO) Assistant Corps Marshal, (ACM), Olusegun Ogungbemide, on Saturday in Abuja.

 

The FRSC boss said that the warning had become necessary as the end of the year travels kept gathering expected momentum making the roads busier than they were in the previous months.

 

This, he said, had also become overly imperative in view of the recent crashes that occurred in Jebba, Kwara State on Dec. 26 and the other that happened on the Owo-Ikare route, before Ose bridge on Saturday.

 

The FRSC Corps Marshal, however, said that the advocacy and sensitisation campaigns had been stepped up, adding that commuters needed to be at alert.

 

‘Be mindful of drivers who show signs of recklessness and drunkenness, before embarking on or during their journeys.

 

“We observed that the recorded road crashes that occurred during the period above were due to the negligence or recklessness of drivers.

 

“Other factors were also the inability of passengers to checkmate them, call them to order or even report them to FRSC or other security agencies along their routes.

 

“To mitigate this risk of preventable crashes on the nation’s highways, commuters are advised to exercise caution when boarding vehicles.

 

“They should be aware of their surroundings and always ensure that their drivers are not under any influence before or during the trips,” he said.

 

Mohammed emphasised that the safety of all road users was of utmost importance, urging commuters to take responsibility for their safety.

 

“This effort is to support all the necessary interventions that the Corps has put in place,” he said.

 

The FRSC boss highlighted some of the roles of the passengers which included but not limited to checking the driver’s behaviour and attitude before boarding, assessing the vehicle’s condition, including tires, brakes, and light system.

 

The FRSC Corps Marshal believed that commuters could significantly reduce their risks of being involved in road crashes by taking these simple precautions above. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maureen Atuonwu

Yuletide: Low road crashes recorded nationwide– Corps marshal

248 total views today

 

By Ibironke Ariyo

The  Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)  Malam Shehu Mohammed,  says it recorded low Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) in spite of high traffic volume at some critical corridors across the country.

 

Mohammed disclosed this while controlling traffic at the Asaba-Onitsha Niger Bridge corridor, alongside other senior officers on Tuesday in Asaba.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the monitoring is in line with the FRSC general agenda of the 2024 Operation Zero Tolerance Special Patrol Target.

 

The agenda aim to ensure free flow of traffic on all corridors as well as achieving a season without road traffic deaths or injuries.

 

The corps marshal attributed the nationwide low traffic crashes to the commission’s proactive measures, including increased patrols, traffic control, and public enlightenment campaigns.

 

He, however, reported a fatal accident on the Akure-Ibadan highway that claimed three lives, emphasising the need for motorists to exercise caution and avoid night journeys.

 

He maintained that visibility at night was bad and it was always difficult to render rescue operations, adding that night travels were dangerous and road crashes occured more at night due to low visibility.

 

“Right now, we are on the Niger bridge and the traffic is moving smoothly and that’s the essence of  increased visibility on the road this time around.

 

“The calls we are getting all over the federation is that our men are all over and they are getting it right because the traffic is moving, though some are going slowly.

 

“The activities are going smoothly on the road nationwide and we are happy that it is free and the traffic is moving smoothly,” he said.

 

Mohammed commended the FRSC personnel who were on late patrol at the corridor, assuring them that the management would continue to prioritise their welfare.

 

“So far, from the place we left, we saw traffic on Monday in Akure but they were moving smoothly and that means that the strategy we took to increase our men and patrol is yielding positive results.

 

“Honestly, I am impressed with our men, some of them are even on the road at night trying to see that there is a free flow of traffic and I want to commend you all,” he said.

 

The FRSC corps marshal, however, urged motorists to give maximum cooperation to the officers and men deployed for traffic control at all the corridors nationwide.

 

“We assure the motoring public that we are committed to this and we will continue to be here until Jan. 15, 2025.

 

“This is to make sure that every motorist or vehicle moving either from the North to the South or the South to the East, will be able to get to their destination when they want to get there without any hitch,” he said.

 

NAN reports that to ensure smooth vehicular movement at the Asaba inter change, the FRSC corps marshal, the State Sector Commanders of Anambra and Delta, Joyce Alexander and Fredrick Ogidan, controlled traffic for over three hours.

 

This is to enable travellers reach their destination safely and on time.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chioma Ugboma

FRSC boss pledges to restore public trust

215 total views today

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Malam Shehu Mohammed, has pledged to restore public trust in the corps.

 

Mohammed acknowledged that motorists no longer stop for FRSC personnel due to perceived lack of integrity.

 

He made the pledge when he visited the FRSC sector command on Monday in Akure.

 

He emphasised the importance of upholding the legacy of selfless service, integrity, loyalty, and service delivery bequeathed by the founding fathers of the Corps.

 

He said that the Corps had a noble mandate to protect, reduce, and minimise road safety crises, and create a safe and secure motoring environment for the public.

 

“The public servants in uniform are expected to make sacrifices for the nation.

 

“I want to charge you that while you are beautiful in your uniform in the office, please be beautiful on the road as well.

 

“I want to assure you that the Corps will continue to prioritise your welfare and make the work favourable for you,” he said.

 

The FRSC boss assured the personnel that the Corps would continue to provide necessary logistics support and welfare motivation to enable them to excel in their duties.

 

He, however, commended the Special Marshals for their integrity, selfless service, and trustworthiness, noting that they have been instrumental in creating a safe and moderate environment for Nigerians.

 

He assured that the Corps would continue to deliver on its promises, including the promotion of deserving officers and men, and the provision of opportunities for further studies.

 

He also promised that the Corps would continue to recognise and reward excellence among its personnel.

 

Speaking, the Zonal Commanding Officer (ZCO) incharge of Oyo, Osun and Ondo, Mr Adeleye Adegboyega, appreciated the Corps Marshal for finding time to visit the state.

 

Adegboyega reiterated his commitment to ensuring the road was safe for all, adding that the officers and men of the service would not relent until road traffic crashes were reduced to the barest minimum.

 

Also, the Sector Commander, Akure command, Mr Samuel Ibitoye assured that the Corps would continue to uphold its legacy and carry out the mandate of the FRSC by ensuring safety on the highways.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohammed’s visit to the state was part of his efforts to boost the morale of FRSC personnel and restore public trust in the Corps.

 

He has been meeting with officers and men of the agency to emphasise the importance of integrity, selfless service, and loyalty in the discharge of their duties.(NAN (www.nannews.ng)

edited by Sadiya Hamza

Yuletide: FRSC boss leads traffic monitoring

213 total views today

 

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Malam Shehu Mohammed, is leading the end-of-year monitoring exercise to assess traffic situations in some parts of the North Central and Eastern regions.

 

Addressing the press on Sunday along the Lokoja-Abaji highway in Abuja, Mohammed said that the exercise was aimed at ensuring a safe motoring environment for commuters and travelers during the yuletide season.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the special patrol operations are targeted at ensuring zero fatalities and injuries during the end of the year travels.

 

NAN reports that the Corps Marshal will be on a strategic monitoring of traffic situation on the highways, specifically on the Abuja -Lokoja-Okene-Agbor-Asaba-Onitsha passageways due to the high vehicular movement on that route.

 

The FRSC boss emphasised the importance of obeying road traffic rules and regulations, urging drivers to exercise caution and avoid reckless driving.

 

He said that the exercise was a yearly tradition, aimed at encouraging personnel and ensuring a safer motoring environment.

 

“This is a special time for yuletide where all personnel of FRSC are out. You can see that I am here with some of our personnel and the entire management is here.

 

“The idea is for us to monitor and supervise this year’s operations, to create a safe motoring environment for people, for commuters and travelers to have a safe mobility to their destination.

 

“This is done every year and the entire management is out to encourage our staff to make sure that our mandate of keeping the road safe for all is strictly adhered to.

 

“We call on the motoring public to continually obey the road traffic rules and regulations so that together, we can achieve the successes of this period and this special patrol.

 

“We just started, we will be moving for the whole period until Jan. 15, 2025,” he said.

 

The FRSC boss, however, appealed to passengers to speak out when they noticed reckless driving, saying “if you see something, say something” to help prevent crashes.

 

Mohammed commended the motoring public for their cooperation and adherence to road safety guidelines, noting that the FRSC would continue to work tirelessly to ensure a safer motoring environment for all road users.

 

“From my observations, for now, the traffic is moving, drivers are obeying the rules, only in some few instances and that’s why we will continue to move and we will be stopping to check and cross check what they are doing.

 

“This is also a period where we can stop to sensitise them, do some public and education enlightenment on the road to make sure we achieved the theme for this year.

 

“We also want to tell the passengers to speak out when they see their driver is recklessly driving or doing the bad habit of driving.

 

“We are also appealing to them to talk to them so that we achieve the successes and reduce road traffic crashes this time around,” he said.

 

NAN also reports that the special monitoring provides an opportunity for the Corps Marshal to assess the performance of personnel during the Operation Zero tolerance to traffic crashes. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Obinna Unaeze/Yakubu Uba

Yuletide: Nigerians seek better roads to curb auto crashes

353 total views today

By Mohammed Bababusu

As Nigerians prepare for the festive season, some residents of Lokoja in Kogi have urged the federal and state government to fix bad roads in the state, to prevent Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) during the Yuletide.

A cross section of the residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the measure was imperative to enable Nigerians to ply good and safe roads during Christmas and New Year festivities.

Kogi occupies a central spot in Nigeria where people across the country pass through the state, serving as gateway to southern and northern parts of the country, hence the need to repair the roads.

Amb. Idris Muraina, Chairman, Kogi Non-Governmental Network (KONGNet), decried the poor state of roads in the country, stressing that “Kogi is no exception to bad roads”.

Muraina said the roads were being overstretched by traffic volume considering the multitude of travelers passing through the ‘Kogi corridor’ to other parts of the country.

“Not until recently the state government under the current administration has shown some level of interest in maintaining existing roads and opening up new access roads.

“The federal government had done a great level of disservice to the road infrastructure over the years.

“For instance, the Lokoja – Abuja road has been under construction since 2003 without results,

“The Ganaja junction – Ganaja – Ajaokuta that was recently awarded to be constructed using concrete technology and that job has indeed suffered from a slow pace.

“The Okene – Ajaokuta bypass was being halted for no reasonable cause.

“All these road networks are interconnecting roads that should ordinarily ease the movement of Nigerians within and across the state but they are currently in bad condition,” he said.

Importantly; the ongoing construction of the overhead bridge at Kabba junction was designed to ease traffic flow within the corridor, and allow for free movement during the Yuletide and beyond.

Muraina attributed the deplorable condition of the roads to lack of political commitment; corruption and neglect by relevant authorities in the country.

He also identified corruption as a major obstacle militating against effective operations of road maintenance agencies to fix potholes on the highways in spite of the budgetary provisions.

“The EFCC should beam its search light on projects and contracts not executed or badly executed to bring to book defaulters,” he said.

Also commenting, Mr Alhassa, the Managing Director, Kogi Road Maintenance Agency (KOGROMA), said the agency and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had accorded premium to major roads like the Lokoja – Okene, Lokoja – Kabba, Lokoja – Ejule.

He said that the Ahmed Ododo administration had procured equipment for the KOGROMA, to accelerate road rehabilitation in the state.

According to Alhassan, the agency is conducting road palliative repair works in eight local government areas of the state.

He also attributed the bad roads to poor construction procedure and quality; lack of maintenance culture, load bearing, poor drains, flooding and climate related problems.

“The agency is carrying out road resurfacing, pothole filling, desilt exercise and ⁠maintenance of road shoulder as well as construction of rings and box culverts.

“However, inadequate funding is militating against proactive roads maintenance,”

On his part, Mukhtar Abdulrahim, the Director of FERMA in Kogi, said the agency had initiated a campaign tagged: “Operation Connect to Your Destination,” to ease traffic flow during the festive season.

He said the campaign focused at identifying and rectifying critical areas on highways, to ensure free flow of traffic and hassle-free travel for road users.

The director said that obsolete infrastructure were largely responsible for poor roads in the country.

“Many roads were constructed in the 80s, exceeding their lifespan and requiring reconstruction or rehabilitation, excessive axle loading largely due to the collapse of the railway network.

“The collapse has shifted the burden to roads, surpassing their capacity by threefold in spite of climate change, especially global warming, which leads to increased water levels and flow velocity, damaging roads,” he said.

The director said that such challenges coupled with inadequate funding were hindering effective maintenance of roads across the country.

He, therefore, advocated establishment of a National Road Maintenance Fund, to encourage sustainable road infrastructure development. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Mohammed Bababusu/Rabe Bashir Mani

X
Welcome to NAN
Need help? Choose an option below and let me be your assistant.
Email SubscriptionSite SearchSend Us Email