FRSC, Rwanda seek partnership on road safety management
In line with on-going drive by the Nigerian government to provide technical assistance for developing the capacity for entrenching sustainable road safety management in Africa, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is considering a partnership with the Rwandan government in its desire to further entrench safer road use within the region.
Making this disclosure during an advocacy visit by the Out-going Rwanda High Commissioner to Nigeria, Joseph Habineza, the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi recalled that the agency has taken giant strides in road safety management and traffic administration through massive investment on people, process and technology, which has positively inspired and motivated other countries in West Africa and has resulted in its declaration as the best lead agency on road safety in Africa by the World Bank in 2012.
According to the Corps Marshal, the FRSC has benefited immensely from the World Bank’s support on road rehabilitation and enhanced capacity for enforcement of road traffic rules and regulations under the Safe Corridor Project in Nigeria.
This he said is “in pursuant to a World Bank resolution for 10 percent of fund for road construction to be set aside for safety components such as road markings, signage, logistics and other relevant infrastructure to guarantee safer road use. Out of this, 5% is set aside for road furniture while 5% goes for enforcement components”.
He added that “through this scheme, the FRSC has acquired patrol vehicles, motor bikes, heavy duty tow trucks, life support ambulances, breathalyzers, radar guns and other facilities, in addition to capacity building programmes to enhance the Corps’ capacity to deliver on its goals of safer roads and fuller lives in Nigeria”.
On the technical support, Oyeyemi recalled that the federal government has approved three officers to be deployed to Sierra Leone as part of efforts towards assisting the country to replicate the FRSC model of lead agency for road safety management in Sierra Leone, adding that other countries such as Ghana, Tanzania and Liberia have taken similar steps in the same direction.
The FRSC boss implored the Rwandan government to key into this initiative which will go a long way to rev up road safety consciousness in the African region, adding that the FRSC Academy can also in training Rwandan traffic officers on global best practices for road safety management.
In his response, the out-going Rwandan High Commissioner who was recently appointed Minister of Sports, commended the FRSC for attaining greater heights in Information Technology deployment which has impacted positively on the driving culture of motorists in Nigeria, adding that efforts will be made towards replicating the FRSC model of road safety management in Rwanda.
He also pledged to work towards a visit by a dedicated team from Rwanda to Nigeria to interface with the FRSC on the modalities towards achieving this engagement plan.