In demonstration of its pacesetter status especially as the cradle of road safety campaigns in the country, the government of Oyo state has pledged to support the initiative of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in its commitment to sustained road safety campaigns in the state and the country at large.
The State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi gave the assurance when receiving the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi at the Government House, Agodi-Ibadan, Oyo state.
The Governor stressed the importance of a successful road safety campaign to the social and economic success of the people and pledged his support in achieving the socio-economic growth in Nigeria. Oyo. He commended the Corps Marshal for demonstrating evident commitment to issues of road safety since assuming the mantle of leadership of the Corps and enjoined him to sustain the Corps’ investment in technology for effective management of road traffic and detection of crimes.
He particularly appealed to the Corps Marshal to invest more in the driver’s licence data to make it more credible as a security document, saying that could contribute significantly to the resolution of some of the intractable security challenges facing the country. The Governor further stated that Oyo state is particularly strategic in matters of road safety in the country, being the first to host the first road safety offices and flags in the country.
Governor Ajimobi further noted that the state government is conscious of its enviable position in matters of road safety in the country. This he said, has made it imperative that the state government continues to show commitment to issues of road safety as evidenced by the number of Road Safety centred projects he had initiated and completed in the state.
He pledged to continue to render necessary support to the FRSC. To this end, he promised to donate a portion of land in the state capitol for the Corps to build its permanent office structure. He further pledged the commitment of the state government to rendering whatever support that could improve the existing relationship between the Corps and the state government.
Earlier, the Corps Marshal thanked the Governor for his commitment to issues of road safety as demonstrated by his aggressiveness in road construction and rehabilitation of project within the townships and the rural areas. The Corps Marshal restated the earlier policy of his Management that in states where the state Houses of Assembly has created their own Traffic management agencies, FRSC in such a state should concentrate more on the highway and leaving the township to the state agencies to manage. He assured the Oni and members of his traditional Council, that in appreciation of the need to sustain the collaboration with relevant stakeholders for effective traffic management, FRSC will continue to work with the agencies in tackling the traffic challenges of the state.
The Corps Marshal paid glowing tributes to the founding fathers of the FRSC and conceiving it as an organisation that has remained central to the societal, economic and security needs of the people of the country. He pledged to sustain the investment the Corps has made in the area of information and communication technology upon which the Corps’ operations is anchored. He added that as part of such commitment, the Federal Government has made provision for permanent office structure for the State in this year’s budget. He therefore appealed to the Governor to provide a suitable land for the Corps to commence the construction of the roads.
Oyeyemi called for synergy between the state and the FRSC in the collective resolve to restore sanity to the roads in the state. While congratulating the state government for establishing its own traffic management agency, he pledged to support the state in providing the personnel with required professional training either at the Corps’ Academy Udi and training School Jos for unified operational system. He also thanked the Governor for his support for the approval given to the Nigeria Road Safety strategy document by the Federal. He promised to continue to work with the relevant stakeholders as well as the state governments across the country in moving the idea of Road safety management and administration to greater heights.
The Corps Marshal was accompanied on the visit by the Deputy Corps Marshsl in charge of operations, the Zonal Commanding Officer of Zone 11 Headquarters Osogbo and Oyo state Sector commander among other principal officers.
