On the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has promised excellence in road traffic management, saying al staff must work harder to reciprocate the goodwill of the government and people of Nigeria to the Corps over the years.
He stated this at the weekend while addressing staff and guests at the special walking/jogging exercise organised to mark the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the FRSC.
According to the Corps Marshal, the continuing support, goodwill and guidance enjoyed by the FRSC since its establishment from successive administrations have made the Corps an exemplary institution in public service in Nigeria, stressing that all hands must be on deck to sustain the current level of activities and for all staff to rededicate themselves to the task of taking the organisation to greater height.
Citing the example of the Thursday’s inauguration of the National Road Safety Advisory Council (NaRSAC) by the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo with the Vice President as the Chairman in a council that has 6 Governors representing each of the 6 geopolitical zones of the country and some ministers as well as professional bodies as members, Oyeyemi emphasised that the action was an uncommon demonstration of the goodwill of the present administration to issues of road safety in the country. He further noted that the inauguration has demonstrated government’s political will to tackle the issues of road safety in the country, saying the action must propel all staff to greater commitment.
On the journey so far, the Corps Marshal commended the staff for remaining focused to the vision that informed the establishment of the FRSC 29 years ago. He paid glowing tributes to the founding fathers of the Corps for conceiving the idea of FRSC as a lead agency for road safety management in Nigeria, which has today become a reference point in matters of road safety to other African and third world countries challenged by the menace of road traffic crashes.
The Corps Marshal also thanked the military, paramilitary and all security agencies as well as the relevant stakeholders for the support they have continued to give to the FRSC and restated his commitment to the sustenance of the vision of the founding fathers, saying the best tributes one can pay to them for laying the solid foundation for the organisation was to continue to uphold their vision and for the Corps to remain central in the national efforts toward safety and security of the people of Nigerians.
While reviewing the activities of the Corps over the years, the Corps Marshal applauded the committed staff of the Corps for the success of the orgnisation’s journey to the present today, emphasising that despite all its challenges, the Corps has remained on course. He however warned those that engage in activities that undermine the integrity of the Corps especially corrupt practices in whatever forms, to stop forthwith, as the long arms of the law would soon catch up with them.
On overloading, the Corps Marshal restated his commitment to sustain the campaign against the menace, saying the campaign would be pursued even with greater vigour, and charged the staff to wake up to the responsibility of ridding the nation of the menace. Speaking on enforcement of speed limiters, the Corps Marshal stressed that with the recent commencement of enforcement, there would be no going back, insisting that the enforcement will continue to be vigorous and uncompromising to save the nation from the systematic destruction of valuable lives and property from speed-induced crashes.
Speaking on physical fitness of the personnel, the Corps Marshal warned that with the current aggression in the activities of the Corps, every staff must embrace physical fitness exercise to be physically fit to be able to cope with the rigours associated with the assignments. He warned that henceforth, staff that are unable to complete the 6 kilometer monthly walking/jogging exercise should consider themselves unfit to cope with the physical challenges of the Corps.
In his remarks, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola who was represented by the Deputy Director, Welfare and Training, Hajia Ramatu Usman, while congratulating the FRSC on its attainment of 29 years, commended the personnel for exhibiting high spirits of commitment to issues of road safety. She gave assurances that the Ministry would continue to support and collaborate with the FRSC in its goals of ensuring safety of lives and property on the nation’s roads.
In their various goodwill messages, representatives of the military, paramilitary and other agencies as well as road safety stakeholders who graced the occasion commended the FRSSC for the good job it is doing to keep the nation’s roads safer and pledged their sustained support and collaboration with the Corps in its determination to ensure safe road environment for the nation in the years ahead.
The special FRSC 29th anniversary walking/jogging exercise which attracted large turnout of staff of FRSC and stakeholders from various organisations was led by the Corps Marshal with members of the Management team. The President of Road Safety Officers’ Wives Association (ROSOWA), Mrs Yemisi Bolanle Oyeyemi who led some wives of the officers and other children to demonstrate their solidarity to the FRSC gave assurances of the stable home fronts by the officers’ wives for the attainment of road safety goals in the country.
