The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FRSC

  • FRSC promotes eight in Gombe

    FRSC promotes eight in Gombe

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has promoted eight Assistant Route Commanders to Deputy Route Commanders in the Gombe State Sector Command.

    Sector Commander Galadima Kuteb, who decorated them yesterday, said the promotion was in recognition of their hard work.

    The commander urged other officers to be patient and work hard.

    Responding for the others, Deputy Route Commander Rimaskwe Gideon Kitan  said “promotion is about hard work, commitment and dedication,” and sought the cooperation of everyone towards the goal of saving lives.

    State Sector Commander Kuteb hailed the conduct of road users during the Sallah celebration.

    “It was crash-free, we have never had it so good, Accidents rates have reduced”.

  • How El-Rufai’s son died, by FRSC

    How El-Rufai’s son died, by FRSC

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) explained yesterday how Hamza, the son of former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, died in an accident in the nation’s capital city.

    The commission, on its website, said Hamza’s black Lexus car rammed into a stationary Volkswagen saloon car at A.Y.A-Kubwa Road at 5.30am.

    El-Rufai had broken the news on the social media.

    But he did not give details of the crash.

    The FRSC said two other persons were involved in the crash. One of them, besides Hamza, died instantly.

    It said the parents took the victim’s body to the National Mosque in Abuja while the crashed vehicles were towed to Maitama Police Station.

     

     

  • FRSC new Corps Marshal assumes duty

    Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, the newly appointed Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, assumed duty in Abuja on Wednesday.

    President Goodluck Jonathan had earlier on Wednesday approved Oyeyemi’s appointment to replace, Mr Osita Chidoka, who had been appointed as the Minister of Aviation.

    Until his appointment, the new corps marshal, who was next in rank to the former corps marshal, was the Deputy Corps Marshal in charge of FRSC’s Motor Vehicle Administration.

    Oyeyemi, who addressed the marshals, thanked the president for his appointment.

    He expressed happiness that he was the first officer from the commission to be appointed as its chief executive since its inception in 1988.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyeyemi was a pioneer officer of the commission.

    He urged the officers and men of the commission to cooperate with him so that together they could sustain and even surpass the achievement recorded under the leadership of Chidoka.

  • FRSC: Who succeeds Chidoka?

    FRSC: Who succeeds Chidoka?

    The race to succeed Osita Chidoka, the outgoing Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, (COMACE), of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, is on. Chidoka was recently nominated as a minister representing Anambra State in the Federal Cabinet. His nomination was ratified by the Senate last week and he may be sworn in today as the country’s Minister of Aviation. In that case, he will be replacing Stella Oduah, the former minister, who was relieved of her appointment a few months ago in controversial circumstances.

    Recent newspapers’ speculations say several people both within and outside the commission have thrown their hats into the ring to succeed Chidoka. Good. But my concern here is that the government should be mindful of whoever is chosen to step in as the new COMACE. The reason is that every programme of the FRSC since inception in 1988 has been on the recycling mode: drivers license, number plate etc without any new or significant idea being brought on the table. This may probably be one of the reasons why people are rooting for outsiders as those inside had not been able to guide outsiders that were brought in with new ideas or, perhaps, those inside too have no new ideas about how to remove deaths from our roads. This is why it has become exigent for the government to make a good choice of a new COMACE, somebody who will fit in perfectly well and be able to enhance the operational capabilities of the commission. This will leave a level of confidence in the minds of road safety professionals.

    I learnt that the government is actually under intense political pressure to outsource the next Corps Marshal. In this regard, the name of a retired general has continuously been bandied about. The truth is that the task of enforcing sanity on our roads is not a job for a military man either serving or retired. Not even for any other person outside the road safety professionals who are not in short supply in the country. That is why the government must consider merit to pick a suitable candidate for the job. It will be a great disservice to the current crop of tested, dedicated, hardworking and highly skilful road safety professionals in the country if the government succumbs to the frenetic pressure being mounted on it by fortune seekers to take over the operation of the FRSC. In the quest for merit, the government should also consider some of the pioneering officers who may have left the organisation but are still in the profession and have garnered more experience that could move the organisation to a higher level.

    For many years, the FRSC has been quite unfortunate in the choice of chief executives which seems to have been permanently brought under the vagaries of politics and politicians. If this trend is allowed to continue, it would be tantamount to the Biblical saying that “it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven”. The interpretation of this is that it will be easier for a politician who has nothing particular to offer to head the commission, than for a thoroughbred professional in the road safety sector, to aspire to lead the FRSC. In other words, it would be professionally diminishing, suffocating and even suicidal for the FRSC to be constantly brought under the leadership of neophytes and non-starters in road safety matters. I believe the time has come for the government to insulate the commission from politics and political fortune seekers who have nothing tangible to offer than the quest for filthy lucre in the guise of political patronage.

    In my recent discussion with someone who is well groomed in road safety matters, he told me that there seems to be a dearth in the development of new ideas in FRSC. According to him, “FRSC has a purposeless leadership with a spineless and clueless followership”. If this is true, now is the time to reorder the operation of the commission. With a politician in charge, there is no way the activities of the FRSC would not be politicised one way or the other. If this happens, professionalism will become endangered, morale will be at the lowest ebb, while accountability will take flight. Yet a Corps Marshal is expected to lead a commission that is so richly endowed with a crop of dedicated, well-trained and hi-tech generation of young officers who are very prepared to give their outmost best in the discharge of their duties to their fatherland. It is, therefore, pertinent to allow merit to guide the choice of a new helmsman for the commission from the existing road safety professionals in the country rather than bringing just anybody out of mere political patronage.

    The first COMACE of the commission at inception in 1988 was Olu Agunloye, who held sway from 1988 to 1995. He laid the building blocks of the commission under a Governing Board headed by Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, as chairman. It was under their stringent watch that the commission took off, and rapidly became a household name within a few years of its existence. In fact, some of the present crops of senior officers were the first set of officers in the commission at its establishment in 1988. There are also some of them who have left with good records but are still very active in the propagation of road safety ideas and ideals. All of them have gone through the evolution and metamorphosis which have seen the FRSC transform to a formidable government parastatal that it is today. These officers are well-trained and properly immersed in the rudiments and complexities of road safety so much that they can stand their own in the comity of road safety practitioners anywhere in the globe.

    Agunloye was succeeded by Gen. Haladu Hananiya, whose appointment was a form of political rehabilitation. It was under his watch that the commission was almost polarized along North-South divide, a situation that left a deep scar on the integrity of the commission. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why people are so worried and concerned about who takes over from Chidoka. It is true that Chidoka himself was an outsider when he was brought in as COMACE about seven years ago, but because of his enthusiasm coupled with his previous experience in government’s bureaucracy, he was able to learn the ropes fast. He may not have been perfect in the discharge of his duties as COMACE during his tenure, but by and large, he demonstrated an uncommon zeal and desire to excel.

    Those who are rooting for an outsider to be appointed as COMACE are drawing inspiration from a section in the existing FRSC’s Act.  Section 7(1) of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment Act) 2007 says: “There shall be a Corps Marshal who shall be appointed by the President and who shall be a person possessing sound knowledge or ability in the organisation and administration of road traffic and road safety measures”. Though this may appear to make the choice of a new COMACE flexible, fluid and at the discretion of the President, nonetheless, emphasis should be on continuity and competence if the commission is not to be turned into a dumping ground for politicians and professional misfits. Such politicians will only come to sow the seed of acrimony, witch hunt and destabilise an otherwise well-focused, well-positioned and progressive government establishment that has so far made appreciable impact on safety on our roads.

    After more than 26 years of operation, during which time both the officers and men of the commission have acquainted themselves creditably well in the discharge of the onerous responsibility of keeping our roads safe or, at least, minimising carnage on our roads, it will be most appropriate for the government to appoint a professional as the next COMACE, of the commission. By doing this, the government would have done so well to sustain the gains of the commission over the years.

  • FRSC deputy spokesman pledges to do more

    FRSC deputy spokesman pledges to do more

    Mr. Bisi Kazeem, the Deputy Corps Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), has pledged to do more in saving lives as an operative of the Commission.

    He made the pledge in an interview with journalists shortly after being decorated with his new rank of Corps Commandant.

    Kazeem was among 23 senior officers including four female recently promoted to corps commandant.

    He said, “I am very elated because to be promoted as Corps Commander is not something that is very easy, many were called but few were chosen. To whom much is given, much is expected; I want to pledge that with this, I would do more of my job.”

    Earlier, Mr. Osita Chidoka, the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, represented by Deputy Corps Marshal Ayodeji Omidiji, urged the newly promoted officers to brace up to the challenges of their new rank.

    Kazeem was appointed the deputy spokesman of the Commission in 2009.

     

     

    Eighteen senior officers, including three Deputy Corps Marshals and 15 Assistant Corps Marshals who benefitted from the recent promotion were decorated with their new rank on Monday.

     

  • FRSC promotes Jonas Agwu, 17 others

    FRSC promotes Jonas Agwu, 17 others

    Eighteen newly promoted senior officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) have been decorated by Corps Marshal Osita Chidoka.

    The FRSC chief urged the officers to ensure transparency and fairness in their duties.

    Three Assistant Corps Marshal (ACMs) were promoted to Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM), while 15 Corps Commandants were promoted to Assistant Corps Marshals.

    The FRSC Public Enlightenment Officer, Jonas Agwu, was promoted to an Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM).

    At the decoration ceremony in Abuja, Chidoka noted that with the promotions, the FRSC had all it needed to ensure efficient service delivery.

    He said: “By this promotion, you have been called to higher tasks. You are to discharge your duty with humility. You should be guided by the principle of fairness.”

    Chidoka said injustice had been the cause of various crises everywhere, adding that the FRSC had been known for fairness and justice.

    The FRSC chief urged the officers to deal with their workers with sincerity.

    He said: “I want to believe that you will be a disciple of the FRSC. Be just and fair to your workers. If there is justice, people will respect you and your decision.”

    FRSC Board Chairman Felix Chukwu also urged the officers to prove their skills and competence, which earned them the promotion, by rededicating themselves to higher duty.

    On behalf of the officers, Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM) Ojeme Ewhrudjakpor thanked the FRSC board and management for recognising their efforts.

    He promised that they would justify the confidence reposed in them.

  • FRSC: Onoja, eight others battle to succeed Chidoka

    FRSC: Onoja, eight others battle to succeed Chidoka

    Nine people, including eight serving officers, are in the race to succeed the outgoing Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Osita Chidoka.

    The government is believed to be under intense political pressure to outsource the next Corps Marshall.

    Chidoka was nominated a minister last week by the President.

    But the workers are calling for the appointment of an insider as the next Corps Marshall to sustain the gains of the commission and allow career growth, as done in the Armed Forces and para-military services.

    The FRSC workers are also appealing to the President to insulate the commission from politics.

    Those believed to be in the race are: Maj-Gen. Lawrence Onoja (rtd.), a former military administrator of Katsina State and indigene of Benue State in Northcentral, and eight Deputy Corps Marshall (DCMs).

    The eight Deputy Corps Marshal are: Yemi Oyeyemi (Kwara, Northcentral); Yemi Omidiji (Osun, Southwest); Adeyi Abu (Taraba, Notheast); Danjuma Garba (Zamfara, Northwest); Chidi Nwachukwu (Enugu, Southeast); Demola Lawal(Lagos, Southwest); A. K. Hassan (Katsina, Northwest) and Ojeme Ewurujakpor (Delta, Southsouth).

    Although two of the Deputy Corps Marshal – Yemi Omidiji and Danjuma Garba – are due for retirement in August, they are still in the race to succeed Chidoka, who had been in charge of the FRSC since 2007.

    It was also learnt that the contest for the office is between Onoja, a retired General who is rated an outsider, and the eight DCMs.

    A reliable source said: “We learnt that some political forces are pushing for the appointment of Onoja, who was once a governorship aspirant, as the next Corps Marshal. With a politician in charge, there is no way the activities of the FRSC would not be politicised one way or the other.

    “It is true that Onoja had a robust military antecedent but those records have been overwhelmed or overtaken by his involvement in partisan politics. Besides, age is no longer on his side at all. Yet, a Corps Marshal is expected to lead a commission of hi-tech generation of young officers.

    “Also, the FRSC was almost polarised the last time Gen. Haladu Hananiya, from Adamawa State, was appointed the Corps Marshal. It got to a point we had North-South divide in the commission.

    “We have had enough of bringing outsiders and retired hands to head this important commission.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “Yes, Chidoka was an outsider as far as the FRSC is concerned. But requisite qualifications and age were on his side and he quickly adjusted to the tasks at hand.

    “He is a Corps Marshal who chose to learn daily. And Chidoka has been able to move the commission forward leading to his appointment as a Minister.”

    But another top source said the FRSC workers were insisting on the appointment of the next Corps Marshal from “within”.

    The source said: “The workers are saying that of all para-military organisations, only the Corps Marshal of the FRSC is outsourced because of political interest. Except former Minister of Defence (Navy) Olu Agunloye, who emerged Corps Marshal from inception, others were brought from outside.

    “It is professionally killing and diminishing for FRSC staff not to get to the peak of career. This is not obtainable in the Nigerian Prison Service, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Customs Service among others.

    “The workers are appealing to the President to allow merit to guide his choice of the next Corps Marshal instead of political rehabilitation or compensation.”

     

    But a government source, who spoke in confidence, said Section 7(1) of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment Act) 2007 is “flexible” on the choice of a new Corps Marshal.

    The source added: “The Act talks only about competence and not military or age or service background. So, the appointment is fluid. It is at the discretion of the President.

    “Onoja is a retired Army General with requisite background in transport logistics. In other parts of the world, retired military officers are often used for such jobs.”

    Section 7(1) of the FRSC Act says: “There shall be a Corps Marshal who shall be appointed by the President and who shall be a person possessing sound knowledge or ability in the organisation and administration of road traffic and road safety measures.”

  • Road safety regulators and operators (3)

    Road safety regulators and operators (3)

    The Governments and their agencies (including FRSC) should continue to do more of their public education or public enlightenment role which is different from the main training programme entrusted into the hands of the driving schools. All stakeholders (including driving schools) should also be involved in such public enlightenment programmes.

    • Governments and their gencies (including FRSC) as part of their public enlightenment programmes should encourage and compel public and private sector organisations to regularly re-train their drivers in the driving schools that are certified to do so.

    • Driver retraining programmes must as much as required be accompanied with the relevant practical elements, not just theoretical training alone because vehicle technology is dynamic and changes frequently.

    • Without prejudice, there is a need for a good working relationship between the governments, traffic agencies (including FRSC) and the driving schools to remove unhealthy rivalry and ensure the accomplishment of the goal of drastically reducing the rate of road crashes and fatalities in Nigeria.

    • Governments and their agencies (including FRSC) should take proactive steps to ensure that every learner actually learns driving in the driving schools with structured and uniform examination put in place among other measures to ensure total compliance by Nigerians.

    • Governments (Federal, State and Local) must stop pushing their agencies to focus on income generation to the neglect of the safety of irreparable lives and properties. It is a sin to give life – saving organisations such as FRSC and other traffic management agencies revenue targets. There are lots of money to make in enforcement if properly and objectively done. Let us drop sentiments to save lives and valuable properties. We shall all give account to God.

  • New number plate: FRSC has legal powers, court rules

    New number plate: FRSC has legal powers, court rules

    A Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State has declared that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has legal powers to make regulations in respect of design and production of the new vehicle number plate, driver’s licence and registration of vehicles.

    Justice Peter Umeadi, ruling in a suit filed by one Chief Ajefo Ekwo challenging the constitutional powers of the Commission to enforce compliance by motorists with its directive on the re-registration of motor vehicles previously registered, by obtaining and replacing same with the new vehicle number plates, also declared that the FRSC’s is constitutionally empowered to arrest and prosecute persons  suspected to have committed any traffic offence. The court also said the commission has the power to impound any vehicle by which an offence under the FRSC Act of 2007 is reasonably suspected to have been committed.

    The judge said,  “I see that the six issues for determination distilled by the respondent (FRSC) flow from the eight reliefs of the applicant (Chief Ajefo Ekwo). The relief number one tend to suggest that it was the respondent who came up with the idea to register vehicles by obtaining and replacing the old number plates with new number plates.”

    On the relief sought by the plaintiff, the court said: “The powers for such a directive emanated from the National Road Traffic Regulation (NRTR) 2012. Section 36 of the regulations of 2012 stipulate as follows; ‘All private and commercial vehicles shall from the commencement of these Regulations have in them Vehicle Identification Number Plates which shall (a) be carried by the motor vehicle on two plates which shall conform to the requirements of these Regulations and (b) the number plates shall be fixed (i) in such a manner that each is not easily detachable and (ii) in an upright position or within 15 degrees of such position.’

    It added: “the Regulations of 2012 commenced on 13 August 2012 and was made by the Federal Road Safety Commission pursuant to Section 5 of the FRSC Establishment Act of 2007. The second part of the Section 39(9) of the Regulations (NRTR) of 2012 made it an offence for any vehicle not to have the said identification number plate.”

    It also said that the FRSC’s directive  flows from  Sections 36 and 39 (1)to (II) especially 39 (90)of the NRTR, and held that  the directive to all motorists previously registered to re-register their vehicles for the purpose of changing their old vehicle number plates with new vehicle number plates is legal, constitutional and stand  firmly on both the Act of 2007 and the National Road Traffic Regulations of 2012.

    Justice Umeadi said that the FRSC  is authorized to “interfere, intervene and give directives regarding regulations made by the States and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja” on highway regulations and dismissed the suit for lack of merit.

    The court held that the registration of the old vehicle number plates was not discontinued by the FRSC but by the force of the law as encapsulated in the National Road Traffic Regulations 2012 and directed any person wishing to challenge this discontinuance to seek a repeal or amendment of the NRTR and not to attack the Federal Road Safety Commission.

    In a related development, the Okogba division of the Benue State High Court has dismissed a suit filed by one Godwin Ndubisi in which he alleged that the impoundment of his car by FRSC operatives for violating traffic rules and regulations, was an infringement on his fundamental human rights as guaranteed by Section 44(1) of the 1999 constitution.

    Delivering judgment in favour of the FRSC, Justice David Igoh said that Section 10(4) and (5) of the FRSC Act, 2007 empowers the Corps to arrest persons reasonably suspected to have committed any traffic offence, detain the vehicle, prosecute the offender and even apply to the high court for order of forfeiture of the vehicle within six months from the date of detention.

    Justice Igoh also stated that if the Corps is vested with the powers of arrest, it necessarily follows that the right to detain is implicit and therefore held that the applicant did not establish that his fundamental human rights were breached or violated by the Federal Road Safety Corps.

     

  • NSITF, FRSC partner on employees’ compensation

    NSITF, FRSC partner on employees’ compensation

    The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) is partnering the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on promoting workplace safety and protection for workers through the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS).

    NSITF’s Managing Director Alhaji  Munir Abubakar, who made this known when he called on the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of FRSC, Osita Chidoka, where he explained that the fund is mandated under the scheme to pay compensations to all Nigerian workers who suffer workplace injuries, occupational diseases and deaths.

    While stating that its mandate covers both private and public sectors of the economy, Munir noted that collaboration between NSITF and FRSC is necessitated by the common goals of both bodies, which aim at safeguarding the safety of Nigerian workers with regards to occupational hazards.

    He said the NSITF wants greater collaboration on FRSC’s database especially on road crashes data in the country, which will help it verify employees making both genuine and false claims.

    Chidoka commended the compensation scheme, describing it as unique. He said the FRSC needs the ECS more than any other government agency, as its staff are accident prone.

    He promised to establish a liaison office with NSITF for closer collaboration on data sharing between the two. He also promised to avail the NSITF details of crashes the commission has captured.