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Pursuant to its resolve to re-invent strategies towards responding to technological demands of Road Safety Management in Nigeria, Management of the Federal Road Safety Commission has organized a one-day workshop, preparatory to formal flag-off of the Road Transport Safety Standardization Scheme in Abuja.
In a welcome address, the Deputy Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Elder Fredrick Osinuwa identified the Transport Safety Standardization Scheme as a whollistic approach towards injecting order and control in the nation’s road transport system.
Also speaking, the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Osita Chidoka stated that the Standardization Scheme is a fallout from series of consultations between the Commission as the lead Agency in Road Safety and other Stakeholders in the Transport Sector in order to find a long lasting solution to some unwholesome practices in road transportation which engender disorderliness and wanton destruction of lives and property on our highways.
Furthermore, the Corps Marshal added that the major thrust of the scheme was to evolve a policy guideline for Road Transportation which will address the issue of having a database and adequate information on Road Transport Operations for effective planning, monitoring, counseling and possibly, prosecution of Transport Operators who contravene safety standard as contained in Section 115 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2004.
Under the Scheme, Road Transport Operators with up to 5fleet of vehicles and above, are expected to establish Safety Units and employ Managers who will liaise with Road Safety inspectors for routine check and certification of their vehicles as part of measures to check the spate of increase in road traffic accidents.
Declaring the workshop open, a representative of the Honourable Minister of Transport, Director of Highway Planning and Design, Engr. Ahiaba Attah applauded the FRSC for initiating a scheme which will ensure effective co-ordination of Road Transport Operations across the country.
He was also optimistic that the standardization programme will address major challenges in road safety such as rapid increase in “Tokunbo” vehicles plying our highways, drivers who lack training on basic driving skills, deteriorating road conditions, inadequate funding and flagrant disobedience to traffic rules and regulations.
Aside drawing Commanding Officers from various formations of the Commission and Inspectorate Officers, goodwill messages were presented from Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation and Stakeholders in the Transport Sector while paper presentations were made on the Passenger Manifest and implementation of the standardization scheme. A formal launch of the Transport Safety Standardization Scheme has been slated for 11 September, 2007
Compiled by:
Ohaeri Osondu. J.
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