REPS COMMITTEE TASKS FRSC ON INCREASED PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT ON SAFE DRIVING

Reporter: CHUKWUBUIKE MADU

The House of Representatives Committee on Road Safety wants the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, to do more in the areas of public enlightenment and enforcement of safety rules on highways.

Chairman of the committee, Mr. Mayowa Akinfolarin, made the call when he led eight other members on an oversight function at the FRSC Academy Udi, Enugu State.

The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Academy was relocated from Jos to its permanent site Udi, Enugu State in 2014.

The Academy set up for short term training and courses for manpower development of its personnel also offers training for state traffic agents, driving school trainers and others involved in road traffic management.

During their oversight visit to the Academy, members of the House of Representatives Committee on Road Safety, inspected the medical centre, Generator house, ICT centre with one hundred and eighty-five computer sets and the Administrative complex.

Chairman of the committee, Mr. Mayowa Akinfolarin, who urged the contractor handling the on-going projects to ensure good finishing, commended the FRSC management for the job done so far but said there was the need for improvement.

Mr. Folarin promised that bills to legitimize the upgrade of the FRSC Academy to a degree awarding institution and other operations of the corps would receive the desired attention.

Mr. Folarin expressed the hope that with improved facilities at the FRSC Academy, more officers would be trained and would be expected to use their knowledge to enlighten motorists on safety rules on highways.

He urged the Corps to deepen sensitisation of motorists in the face of poor condition of Nigerian roads.

Earlier, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, who noted that his administration initiated and completed sixteen command offices as well as completed all inherited projects, attributed the feat to prudent management of funds.

Dr. Oyeyemi, who identified poor funding as a major challenge facing the corps, called for improved budgetary allocation to FRSC operations.

He applauded Enugu, Delta, Oyo and Plateau State Governments for funding construction of some FRSC institutes in their states.

Dr. Oyeyemi promised not to relent in his focus on human capacity building, insisting it was necessary for such a regimented service.