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The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has charged the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to embark on aggressive enforcement of traffic laws, saying doing so would ensure compliance by the people and serve as disincentive to traffic violations.
Saraki made the call while receiving the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, who was on advocacy visit to the National Assembly.
Saraki, who was accompanied by some principal officers of the Senate, commended FRSC for initiating the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) 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 harmonize 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.
