The Acting Governor of Zamfara state, Alhaji Ibrahim Wakkala Mohammed (Sarki Malamai Gusau) has pledged the support of the state government to the operations of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), saying making the roads safe for people as FRSC is doing is an act of service to God which requires the collective support of government and all public spirited individuals.
According to Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy, FRSC, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed stated this while receiving the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi at the Government House Gusau. According to the Acting Governor, Islam enjoins Muslims and the leaders to engage in acts that promote safety of lives and property on the road, noting that people should be encouraged to get involved in such acts as removal of obstruction from the road and avoidance of practices that undermine safety of people’s lives.
Referring to FRSC as one organisation whose activities are directed at making the roads safe for people, he urged government and individuals to be actively involved in supporting the Corps to succeed in its operations. While making reference to the Prophetic tradition of being safety conscious, the Sarki Mallamai Gusau stated that the Prophet and all the Caliphs of Islam abhorred anything that could expose people’s lives to danger and encouraged the Muslims to support acts that promote safety, such as removal of obstruction from the road and obedience to traffic rules and regulations to avoid road crashes.
“”It is the responsibility of government to support the FRSC by constructing and maintaining the roads, and for people to obey traffic rules and regulations so that the roads would be safe, not only for human beings, but even animals whose safety the leaders would account for on the day of judgement,” he stated.
While thanking the Corps Marshal for visiting Zamfara state, the Acting Governor stated that the state government is committed to massive road construction and rehabilitation across the state for people to move around safely. He assured that the state government will continue to support the policies of training of drivers, construction of road and collaboration with other government agencies lije the FRSC for the promotion of road safety activities.
“Zamfara state government will support the FRSC to ensure the success of its activities not only in the state, but the country at large,” he stated.
“Even if it means reviewing the laws of the FRSC to strengthen its operations and enhance its effectiveness, the state government will be in full support of the move. We are indeed committed to making Zamfara state one of the most road safety friendly in the country, ” the Acting Governor further stated.
Earlier in his address, the Corps Marshal commended the state government for its policies of massive road infrastructure and support for the FRSC. He noted that in its commitment to road safety campaigns in the country, FRSC had organised a training programme for Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) from the 36 states of the Federation including the FCT with the state participating. He added that very soon there would be another training programme targeted at the State Testing Officers in the country with the aim of building their capacity for the assignments they carry out for the states.
Oyeyemi thanked the state government for providing a land for the construction of FRSC’s permanent office complex in the state, assuring that he would soon return to the state for the foundation laying ceremony. He noted that in its desire for quality service delivery at the grassroots, FRSC is making efforts to establish more commands in the state, but appealed to the state government to set up a driving school in the state for training and retraining of the drivers.
The FRSC Boss expressed dismay at the act of overloading being perpetuated by some drivers in the state, stressing that the Corps is coming up with a strategy that could address the practice and called on the government to support the campaign. Oyeyemi solicited the support of the state Governor who is also the Chairman of the Governors’ Forum on the ongoing campaign against overloading, speed violation and use of seatbelt by rear seat passengers.
While recalling the fatal crash that occurred in the state last year in which about 26 lives were lost in the crash, the Corps Marshal frowned at the act of overloading of vehicles with goods and passengers. He pointed out that in his commitment to promoting public safety in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the retraining of all drivers of public office holders and called on the state government to key into the campaign to make the nation’s road safe for all users.
The Corps Marshal was in Zamfara state as part of his visit to the FRSC formations in Zones one and ten during which he visited some unit commands and Ambulance Points located along the highways in the states.
