BUREAU OF STATISTICS SET TO PARTNER WITH FRSC ON DATA MANAGEMENT

The Chairman of the National Bureau of Statistics, Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe has described the Federal Road Safety Corps as a strong ally in the collective quest towards effective utilization and management of data for national development.

Speaking during a courtesy visit on the FRSC, Amb. Mbadiwe who was also former Board Chairman of the Corps, stated that with its remarkable achievements in utilizing Information and Communication Technology innovations in addressing road traffic challenges in the country, the Corps has no doubt, built a reliable data base which can provide a robust framework for policy making and implementation in Nigeria.

He added that in line with its statutory mandate to partner with all tiers of government and relevant agencies in the production of administrative statistics and to promote general use statistical standards, the National Bureau of Statistics will leverage on the FRSC data base on road traffic crashes and motor vehicle administration to attract increased government concern, policy formulation and investment on road safety management in view of present trend of reliance on road transportation by Nigerians in comparison with other modes of transportation across the country such as air, railway and the inland water ways.

Responding, the FRSC Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Osita Chidoka stated that a collaboration with the Bureau of Statistics will open new opportunities and capacity to ensure effective harness of data on critical areas of road traffic management in Nigeria for proper interventions towards safer roads, adding that the Corps is poised to reduce road crashes by 50 percent in line with the Accra Declaration, in 2015 using 2007 as base year. He also said  that the FRSC will  use fatality index in the country to attract improved global ranking for Nigeria among 20 countries with the safest roads by 2020.