The Governor of Gombe state, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwabo has assured the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, of the support of the state government in its efforts at saving lives and property of road users in the state. Dankwabo gave the assurance while receiving the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi who was in the state on advocacy visit in continuation of his ongoing public sensitisation programme.
According to Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy, the Governor said, the Gombe state government sees the need to join hands with the FRSC in its campaigns against the menace of road traffic crashes, considering the fact that the efforts are in harmony with the safety and security needs of the people of the state. He pointed out that his administration is committed to reforms that could lead to the actualisation of his policy on safety and security of the state.
Dankwabo commended the efforts of the FRSC personnel in the state towards maintenance of safety and security and restated the commitment of the state government to saving lives and property of road users. He commended the Corps Marshal for his aggressive public enlightenment programmes, noting that his presence in the state is a further testimony to his concern for the safety and security of the people of the state, saying the government and people of the state appreciate the gestures.
“Your aggressive public enlightenment across the country is evidenced by your presence here today,” the Governor stated.
“Your staffs here have been diligent in conducting themselves towards performing their statutory responsibilities of keeping the roads safer, and their contribution to the safety and security of the state is most commendable.
“Let me assure you that we would continue to partner with you to ensure that the state remains peaceful, safe and secured,” Dankwabo further stated.
The Governor stressed the need for all relevant stakeholders to join hands with the FRSC in its efforts to enlighten members of the public on the need to be safety conscious, noting that the campaign for safer road environment by the FRSC at this critical period of ember months is most timely, considering that the period is always dreaded by the people doing to pervasive cases of road traffic crashes recorded in the season.
Dankwabo disclosed that in order to save the people of the state from vulnerability to death from road crashes, his administration has been putting in place measures such as construction of bypass road for trucks as well as introduction of traffic lights at strategic locations within the city centre which have led to effective traffic management, urging members of the FRSC in the state to monitor and ensure compliance by the people
Other areas of partnership with the FRSC which the Governor mentioned include construction of modern truck park with adequate facilities, need to increase the number of driver’s licence centres in the state to encourage drivers to obtain genuine driver’s licence and credible data on the drivers in the state including motorcycle and NAPEP operators. He equally urged the FRSC to bring the deplorable state of some federal roads in the state to the attention of the Federal Government for prompt remedial actions.
Speaking earlier, the Corps Marshal informed the Governor that he was in the state in continuation of his advocacy programme, which is aimed at ensuring crash-free Christmas and New Year celebration. While thanking the Governor for his various road safety initiatives, he noted that his pro-road safety measures have contributed immensely to the drastic reduction in the rate of road traffic crashes in the state.
While appealing for sustained support of the Governor to the safer roads campaigns, Oyeyemi pointed out that the construction of zebra crossings at some strategic points in the state as well as the construction of bypass and the ongoing efforts to build a modern truck parks in the state capital are some of the measures that have singled out the Governor as “a road safety friendly personality.” He further stated that the provision of ambulance and other patrol logistics to the FRSC in the state are being fully utilised for safety and security needs of the people of the state.
As part of his activities in the state, Oyeyemi decorated the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu AbubakarII; the Speaker of the state House of Assembly as well as the Secretary to the state government as Honourary members of Special Marshals.
In his remarks after the investiture, the Emir thanked the Corps Marshal for the honour done to them, promising to use the traditional institution to promote road safety message to all the people of the state. He commended the FRSC personnel in the state for their contribution to the prevailing peace and tranquillity in the state
The investiture which was witnessed by Governor Dankwabo, drew large crowd of traditional title holders, top government official as well as enthusiastic members of the public. Speaking at the ceremony, the Governor described the large crowd of people who turned up at the Palace to witness the decoration of the Emir and other prominent personality in the state as evidence of the overwhelming support which the people of the state have for the activities of the FRSC. he urged all citizens of the state to always show obedience to traffic rules and regulations.
In the last leg of his activities in the state, Oyeyemi traveled to Kaltungo where he visited the traditional ruler, Mai Kaltungo, Alhaji Sale Mohammed, who received the Corps Marshal with the full complement of members of his traditional council. The traditional ruler in his remarks, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the personnel of the FRSC in the area, commending them for exemplary conduct and pledged his support for the success of the road safety campaigns.
The Corps Marshal in his own remarks thanked the traditional ruler for the support he and his people have continued to show to the FRSC operations in the area, assuring that the staff would not relent in their efforts. The Corps Marshal thereafter commissioned the Driver’s Licence Centre established in the community to take care of the licensing needs of the drivers from the community and its environs, noting that the expansion of the driver’s licence centres across the country was necessitated by the need for adequate capturing of the biometric data of the drivers in the country.
The Corps Marshal was accompanied on the visit by the Deputy Corps Marshal in charge of operations, Adei Abu; the the Zonal Commanding Officer of Zone 3, Yola, Assistant Corps Marshal Abdullahi Ringim and the head of Command Administration and Strategy, Assistant Corps Marshal Austin Aipoh among others.
