Security of lives on Nigerian roads is a necessary condition for progress and development of any society. And the principal agency charged with the responsibility of safety on Nigerian roads is the Federal Road Safety Corps. Federal Road Safety Corps is the Government Agency with statutory responsibilities for road safety administration in Nigeria. Founded in 1988, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) operates in all Nigerian states as well as the Federal Capital Territory and is the leading agency in Nigeria on road safety administration and management. The statutory functions include: Making the highways safe for motorists and other road users as well as checking road worthiness of vehicles, recommending works and infrastructures to eliminate or minimize accidents on the highways, and educating motorists and members of the public on the importance of road discipline on the highways. FRSC, right from inception, faced daunting challenges in a bid to fulfil its objective of providing adequate security to Nigerians on the roads.
The increasing prevalence of road traffic crashes and the involvement of high casualties are becoming a major public health concern which still needs to be tackled. This is not to say the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC is not trying its best at nipping the situation in the bud.
The Corps, under the leadership of Dauda Ali Biu is addressing the pressing challenges on Nigerian roads, studying the factors necessitating driver behaviour.
The Corps Marshal has said, on differently occasions that access to vehicles by unqualified persons has made roads in Nigeria and other parts of the world dangerous.
However the Corps under his leadership is committed to make Nigerian roads among the top 20 safest in the world by the year 2025.
The government through FRSC has deployed various strategies to curb road traffic crashes and the ultimate goal is to achieve zero death on Nigerian roads.
As encapsulated in the road safety vision 2020:20, the Federal Government of Nigeria is poised to make Nigerian roads much safer.
The Corps Marshal stressed that before the establishment of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria’s roads were rated the worst next to Ethiopia.
According to him, the corps had deployed strategies which led to accelerated decline from 25,792 to 8,477 in Road Traffic Crash (RTC) trends in the country.
The Nigerian Government took steps to reverse the trend through institutional arrangements and policies like; Establishment of National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) in 1974, Establishment of Oyo State Road Safety Corps 1977, and Establishment of Federal Road Safety Commission on 18 February, 1988 all geared towards eradicating the menace of road traffic crash.
The key success factors that led to observed decline in RTC Trend from 1988 to 2010 revolved around the 4e’s strategies of the Corps, namely: Enforcement, Education, Enlightenment and Engineering.
FRSC stakeholders have showered praises on the corps marshal, Biu.
Some said his excellent performance has ensured stabilization within the FRSC and given officers the confidence to continue to do a good job hoping that one day, they will be rewarded with the highest position.
There is no gainsaying that the present FRSC administration under the leadership of Daud Biu has achieved landmark progress in the history of the Corps.
He has utilized the unflinching support from the federal government and converted it economically to the establishment of new institutions under the FRSC, building the capacity of personnel and alignment with international standards. Indeed, he is a strategist and a visionary leader.
FRSC, notwithstanding the current security challenges in the Nation, still discharges its duties of maintaining safety on the roads.
We recall that there was a time in Nigeria, when security agencies have been the targets of deadly attacks.
It baffles many, how the Corps, despite not being armed, execute their duties, and get offending commuters booked.
The presence of FRSC officials on the roads is the beginning of wisdom for many drivers. It has helped in the reduction of road accidents in the state.
Unfortunately, the Corps has lost some of its diligent personnel on duty, due to some motorists who drive recklessly on the road. FRSC would however need to intensify awareness for motorists to obey traffic regulations and earnestly solicit the collaboration of the media in this regard.
It is pertinent to emphasise that the FRSC and other security agencies in Nigeria are key players in the government’s efforts to handle the problems faced in the transition to democracy.
Olamide Adeniji is a member of the editorial team of TheScript Newspaper
